Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 16, 2026

Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) Protocols for Problematic Plant, Oomycete, and Fungal Samples
Published on: February 3, 2017
Internal structure of an intact Convallaria majalis pollen grain observed with X-ray Fresnel coherent diffractive
Adrian P Mancuso1, Matthew R Groves, Oleg E Polozhentsev
1Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Hamburg, Germany. adrian.mancuso@xfel.eu
Abstract:
We have applied Fresnel Coherent Diffractive Imaging (FCDI) to image an intact pollen grain from Convallaria majalis. This approach allows us to resolve internal structures without the requirement to chemically treat or slice the sample into thin sections. Coherent X-ray diffraction data from this pollen grain-composed of a hologram and higher resolution scattering information-was collected at a photon energy of 1820 eV and reconstructed using an iterative algorithm. A comparison with images recorded using transmission electron microscopy demonstrates that, while the resolution of these images is limited by the available flux and mechanical stability, we observed structures internal to the pollen grain-the intine/exine separations and pore dimensions-finer than 60 nm. The potential of this technique for further biological imaging applications is discussed.
Related Concept Videos
Total Internal Reflection Fluorescence Microscopy
Confocal Fluorescence Microscopy
Phase Contrast and Differential Interference Contrast Microscopy
In-phase-contrast microscopes, interference between light directly passing through a cell and light refracted by cellular components is used to create high-contrast, high-resolution images without staining. It is the oldest and simplest type of microscope that creates an image by altering the wavelengths of light rays passing through the specimen. Altered wavelength paths are created using an annular stop in the condenser. The annular stop produces a hollow cone of...
Super-resolution Fluorescence Microscopy
X-ray Diffraction of Biological Samples
According to Bragg's law, when X-rays strike the sample positioned on a stage, the rays are scattered by the electron clouds around the sample atoms. The X-ray diffraction or scattering is caused by constructive interference of the X-ray waves that reflect off the internal crystal...
Pollination and Flower Structure

