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Related Concept Videos

Kidney Structure01:45

Kidney Structure

The kidneys are two large bean-shaped organs located in the upper abdomen. They filter the blood several times a day to remove toxins and rebalance water and electrolytes of the circulatory system via the renal veins. The kidneys receive blood directly from the heart via the renal arteries. These arteries enter the kidney at the hilum, the concave surface of the bean, where they branch and divide into smaller vessels and capillaries.
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.
Studying the Cytoskeleton01:17

Studying the Cytoskeleton

The cytoskeletal architecture can be studied using different microscopic and biochemical techniques. Electron microscopy was instrumental in discovering the cytoskeletal architecture around the 1960s, which allowed obtaining structural information at a high-resolution level. However, the sample preparation procedure often limits this ability in biological samples. Several protocols have been developed over the years to optimize sample preparation. In one of the protocols known as rotary...
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...
Immunogold Electron Microscopy01:20

Immunogold Electron Microscopy

Immunoelectron microscopy utilizes immunogold labeling of endogenous proteins with specific antibodies to detect and localize these proteins in cells and tissues. The procedure provides insights into the distribution and quantification of protein under different stimulation conditions offering clues about their functions. Conjugating highly electron-dense gold particles with primary or secondary antibodies allow antigen detection on and within cells, with high resolution and specificity.
Cryo-electron Microscopy01:28

Cryo-electron Microscopy

Conventional electron microscopy (EM) involves dehydration, fixation, and staining of biological samples, which distorts the native state of biological molecules and results in several artifacts. Also, the high-energy electron beam damages the sample and makes it difficult to obtain high-resolution images. These issues can be addressed using cryo-EM, which uses frozen samples and gentler electron beams. The technique was developed by Jacques Dubochet, Joachim Frank, and Richard Henderson, for...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 9, 2026

Whole-Kidney Three-Dimensional Staining with CUBIC
04:31

Whole-Kidney Three-Dimensional Staining with CUBIC

Published on: July 18, 2022

Electron microscopy in kidney research: seeing is believing.

Helen Liapis1

  • 1Washington University School of Medicine , Saint Louis, Missouri , USA.

Ultrastructural Pathology
|July 24, 2013
PubMed
Summary

Electron microscopy (EM) provides crucial insights into kidney structure and function, driving advances in nephrology and renal pathology. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) remains vital for understanding kidney disease pathogenesis, exemplified by studies on crescent formation and experimental oxalosis.

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Last Updated: May 9, 2026

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Area of Science:

  • Nephrology
  • Renal Pathology
  • Electron Microscopy

Background:

  • Electron microscopy (EM) has been fundamental to kidney research for over 50 years.
  • Advances in EM visualization and analysis have closely followed the principle of structure-function relationships in the kidney.
  • A golden era of nephrology (1950-1980) saw morphological classifications of kidney diseases emerge, aided by EM.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To highlight the enduring significance of EM in contemporary kidney research.
  • To discuss the application of basic EM principles in experimental kidney disease models.
  • To emphasize TEM's continued contribution to understanding kidney disease pathogenetic mechanisms.

Main Methods:

  • Review of historical and current applications of electron microscopy in nephrology.
  • Discussion of experimental models for studying kidney diseases.
  • Focus on Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) for ultrastructural analysis.

Main Results:

  • EM has historically driven major advances in understanding kidney structure and disease.
  • TEM continues to offer significant clinical and pathogenetic insights into kidney diseases.
  • Specific examples include crescent formation in Col4A3-deficient mice and experimental oxalosis models.

Conclusions:

  • Electron microscopy remains an indispensable tool for kidney research and pathology.
  • TEM provides critical data for understanding disease mechanisms in genetic and molecular contexts.
  • The study underscores the value of EM in dissecting complex kidney pathologies through experimental models.