Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Scanning Electron Microscopy01:07

Scanning Electron Microscopy

A scanning electron microscope (SEM) is used to study the surface features of a sample by using an electron beam that scans the sample surface in a two-dimensional manner. Typically, areas between ~1 centimeter to 5 micrometers in width can be imaged. SEM can be used to image bacteria, viruses, tissues as well as larger samples like insects. Conventional SEM gives a magnification ranging from 20X to 30,000X and spatial resolution of 50 to 100 nanometers.
Fundamental Principles
Accelerated...
Overview of Microscopy Techniques01:22

Overview of Microscopy Techniques

The early pioneers of microscopy opened a window into the invisible world of microorganisms. In 1830, Joseph Jackson Lister created an essentially modern light microscope. The 20th century saw the development of microscopes that leveraged nonvisible light, such as fluorescence microscopy that uses an ultraviolet light source and electron microscopy that uses short-wavelength electron beams. These advances significantly improved magnification, image resolution, and contrast. By comparison, the...
Overview of Electron Microscopy01:25

Overview of Electron Microscopy

The wavelengths of visible light ultimately limit the maximum theoretical resolution of images created by light microscopes. Most light microscopes can only magnify 1000X, and a few can magnify up to 1500X. Electrons, like electromagnetic radiation, can behave like waves, but with wavelengths of 0.005 nm, they produce significantly greater resolution up to 0.05 nm as compared to 500 nm for visible light. An electron microscope (EM) can create a sharp image that is magnified up to 2,000,000X.
Electron Microscope Tomography and Single-particle Reconstruction01:07

Electron Microscope Tomography and Single-particle Reconstruction

Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) can be used to determine the 3D structure of biological samples with the help of techniques such as electron microscope tomography and single-particle reconstruction. While single-particle reconstruction can examine macromolecules and macromolecular complexes in vitro conditions only, tomography permits the study of cell components or small cells in vivo.
Electron Tomography
Electron tomography can be performed either in TEM or STEM (scanning transmission...
Transmission Electron Microscopy01:15

Transmission Electron Microscopy

In 1931, physicist Ernst Ruska—building on the idea that magnetic fields can direct an electron beam just as lenses can direct a beam of light in an optical microscope—developed the first prototype of the electron microscope. This development led to the development of the field of electron microscopy. In the transmission electron microscope (TEM), electrons are produced by a hot tungsten element and accelerated by a potential difference in an electron gun, which gives them up to 400 keV in...
Preparation of Samples for Electron Microscopy01:20

Preparation of Samples for Electron Microscopy

To be visualized by an electron microscope, either transmission or scanning, biological samples need to be fixed (stabilized) so the electron beam does not destroy them and dried thoroughly (desiccated/dehydrated) so the vacuum does not affect them. Fixation needs to be done as quickly as possible because the sample properties will start changing as soon as it is removed from its natural environment. For example, in a tissue sample, the oxygen levels begin decreasing, causing an altered...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Immunization with Herpes Simplex Virus Nanoparticles Targeting Both Attachment and Fusion Protect Against Infection.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026
Same author

Restraint of Powassan virus replication by TRIM5α facilitates viral avoidance of antiviral immunity.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026
Same author

Insights into tick-pathogen interactions - a single cell RNA sequencing approach of transcriptional changes during ehrlichial infection.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026
Same author

Functional Outcome of Radial Head Fracture Treated with Open Reduction Internal Fixation using Plating Versus Herbert Screw Fixation: A Case Series.

Journal of orthopaedic case reports·2025
Same author

Transcriptional diversification in a human-adapting zoonotic pathogen drives niche-specific evolution.

Nature communications·2025
Same author

Fragment-specific Plate Fixation in a Case of Mayo Type IIB Olecranon Fracture: A Case Report.

Journal of orthopaedic case reports·2025
Same journal

Programmable Gene Knockdown in Diverse Bacteria Using Mobile-CRISPRi.

Current protocols in microbiology·2020
Same journal

Gene Editing in Dimorphic Fungi Using CRISPR/Cas9.

Current protocols in microbiology·2020
Same journal

Vibrio parahaemolyticus: Basic Techniques for Growth, Genetic Manipulation, and Analysis of Virulence Factors.

Current protocols in microbiology·2020
Same journal

3D Oral and Cervical Tissue Models for Studying Papillomavirus Host-Pathogen Interactions.

Current protocols in microbiology·2020
Same journal

Dissecting the Biology of the Fungal Wheat Pathogen Zymoseptoria tritici: A Laboratory Workflow.

Current protocols in microbiology·2020
Same journal

Counter-Selection Method for Markerless Allelic Exchange in Bordetella bronchiseptica Based on sacB Gene From Bacillus subtilis.

Current protocols in microbiology·2020
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 22, 2026

Large-scale Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy (Nanotomy) of Healthy and Injured Zebrafish Brain
10:09

Large-scale Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy (Nanotomy) of Healthy and Injured Zebrafish Brain

Published on: May 25, 2016

Scanning electron microscopy.

Elizabeth R Fischer1, Bryan T Hansen, Vinod Nair

  • 1Electron Microscopy Unit, Research Technologies Branch, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, Montana, USA.

Current Protocols in Microbiology
|May 3, 2012
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) offers unique topographical visualization. Proper specimen preparation, including fixation, dehydration, and coating, is crucial to minimize artifacts and achieve optimal imaging of biological samples.

More Related Videos

Scanning Electron Microscopy of Macerated Tissue to Visualize the Extracellular Matrix
10:21

Scanning Electron Microscopy of Macerated Tissue to Visualize the Extracellular Matrix

Published on: June 14, 2016

Comprehensive Characterization of Extended Defects in Semiconductor Materials by a Scanning Electron Microscope
11:14

Comprehensive Characterization of Extended Defects in Semiconductor Materials by a Scanning Electron Microscope

Published on: May 28, 2016

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 22, 2026

Large-scale Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy (Nanotomy) of Healthy and Injured Zebrafish Brain
10:09

Large-scale Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy (Nanotomy) of Healthy and Injured Zebrafish Brain

Published on: May 25, 2016

Scanning Electron Microscopy of Macerated Tissue to Visualize the Extracellular Matrix
10:21

Scanning Electron Microscopy of Macerated Tissue to Visualize the Extracellular Matrix

Published on: June 14, 2016

Comprehensive Characterization of Extended Defects in Semiconductor Materials by a Scanning Electron Microscope
11:14

Comprehensive Characterization of Extended Defects in Semiconductor Materials by a Scanning Electron Microscope

Published on: May 28, 2016

Area of Science:

  • Microscopy
  • Biological Sciences
  • Materials Science

Background:

  • Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) is a powerful technique for visualizing topographical details of structures.
  • Effective SEM imaging of biological specimens necessitates meticulous preparation techniques to avoid artifacts.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To outline fundamental techniques for routine biological specimen preparation for SEM.
  • To provide guidance on minimizing structural artifacts during specimen processing and imaging.

Main Methods:

  • Discusses fixation protocols to preserve structures of interest and reduce chemical processing artifacts.
  • Emphasizes proper dehydration techniques to prevent shrinkage for high-vacuum SEM environments.
  • Covers substrate selection for mounting and coating to mitigate charging artifacts.

Main Results:

  • Highlights the importance of careful specimen preparation in achieving accurate topographical visualization.
  • Demonstrates how understanding microscope settings optimizes imaging parameters.
  • Addresses preservation of labile structures and immune-labeling strategies for enhanced SEM analysis.

Conclusions:

  • Optimized SEM specimen preparation is essential for high-resolution topographical imaging of biological materials.
  • Careful consideration of fixation, dehydration, mounting, coating, and imaging parameters minimizes artifacts and maximizes data quality.