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An Unbiased Approach of Sampling TEM Sections in Neuroscience
Published on: April 13, 2019
New developments in electron microscopy for serial image acquisition of neuronal profiles
1Division of Cerebral Circuitry, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, 5-1 Myodaiji-Higashiyama, Okazaki, Aichi 444-8787, Japan Department of Physiological Science, The Graduate University for Advanced Studies (SOKENDAI), Okazaki, Japan Japan Science and Technology Agency, Core Research for Evolutional Science and Technology, Tokyo, Japan yoshiy@nips.ac.jp.
New automated electron microscopy techniques streamline serial micrograph acquisition, replacing manual methods. These advanced systems enable rapid, large-scale ultrastructural data collection with improved efficiency.
Area of Science:
- Biotechnology
- Microscopy
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Manual serial ultrathin sectioning for electron microscopy is time-consuming and labor-intensive.
- Automated acquisition of serial electron micrographs (EMGs) is crucial for large-scale ultrastructural studies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review recent advancements in automated serial electron microscopy.
- To discuss the advantages and disadvantages of novel automated EMG acquisition methods.
Main Methods:
- Focused ion beam/scanning electron microscopy (FIB/SEM)
- Ultramicrotome/serial block-face scanning electron microscopy (SBF-SEM)
- Automated tape-collection ultramicrotome/scanning electron microscopy (ATM/SEM)
- Transmission electron microscope camera array
Main Results:
- Automated systems significantly reduce the time and effort required for serial EMG acquisition.
- These methods allow for the collection of large, high-resolution ultrastructural datasets.
- Each technique presents unique benefits and limitations.
Conclusions:
- Automated electron microscopy has revolutionized serial EMG data acquisition.
- The choice of method depends on specific research needs and available resources.
- Further development promises even greater efficiency in ultrastructural imaging.
