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

Overview of Electron Microscopy01:25

Overview of Electron Microscopy

16.1K
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.
16.1K
Preparation of Samples for Electron Microscopy01:20

Preparation of Samples for Electron Microscopy

7.6K
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...
7.6K
Immunogold Electron Microscopy01:20

Immunogold Electron Microscopy

5.7K
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.
5.7K
Cryo-electron Microscopy01:28

Cryo-electron Microscopy

4.5K
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...
4.5K
Electron Microscope Tomography and Single-particle Reconstruction01:07

Electron Microscope Tomography and Single-particle Reconstruction

3.0K
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...
3.0K
Transmission Electron Microscopy01:15

Transmission Electron Microscopy

7.7K
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...
7.7K

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

Low PEEP ventilation in TGF-β1 induced lung injury triggers a reversible lung mechanical deterioration without promoting persistent structural damage.

Scientific reports·2026
Same author

Peripartum-Associated Heart Failure Develops Independently of RHOT Proteins.

International journal of molecular sciences·2026
Same author

Contextual fear conditioning leads to hypo-innervation of the left ventricular myocardium in female but not male C57BL/6J mice.

IBRO neuroscience reports·2026
Same author

The pleuroparenchymal fibroelastosis atlas reveals aberrant cell states and their zonation as an alternate roadmap to lung fibrosis.

Science advances·2026
Same author

Diet-induced obesity alleviates epithelial damage in hyperoxic acute lung injury (HALI) in mice.

Respiratory research·2026
Same author

Ultrastructural analysis of bovine trophoblast giant cells during their migration by serial block-face scanning electron microscopy (SBF-SEM).

Placenta·2026

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 14, 2026

Author Spotlight: Studying Spatial Protein Expression Using Agarose Embedded Lung Tissue Sections
07:17

Author Spotlight: Studying Spatial Protein Expression Using Agarose Embedded Lung Tissue Sections

Published on: October 6, 2023

7.9K

Using electron microscopes to look into the lung.

Matthias Ochs1,2,3, Lars Knudsen4,5,6, Jan Hegermann4,6

  • 1Institute of Functional and Applied Anatomy, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Str. 1, 30625, Hannover, Germany. ochs.matthias@mh-hannover.de.

Histochemistry and Cell Biology
|October 1, 2016
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Electron microscopy (EM) revolutionized lung research, enabling visualization of alveolar epithelium and surfactant. Advanced EM techniques and stereology now offer powerful tools for quantitative lung analysis and understanding its functional design.

Keywords:
Collapse indurationElectron microscopyFibrosisStereologySurfactantType II alveolar epithelial cellVolume EM

More Related Videos

Direct Observation of Phagocytosis and NET-formation by Neutrophils in Infected Lungs using 2-photon Microscopy
08:50

Direct Observation of Phagocytosis and NET-formation by Neutrophils in Infected Lungs using 2-photon Microscopy

Published on: June 2, 2011

21.4K
A Standardized Method for Measuring Internal Lung Surface Area via Mouse Pneumonectomy and Prosthesis Implantation
08:46

A Standardized Method for Measuring Internal Lung Surface Area via Mouse Pneumonectomy and Prosthesis Implantation

Published on: July 26, 2017

14.1K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Mar 14, 2026

Author Spotlight: Studying Spatial Protein Expression Using Agarose Embedded Lung Tissue Sections
07:17

Author Spotlight: Studying Spatial Protein Expression Using Agarose Embedded Lung Tissue Sections

Published on: October 6, 2023

7.9K
Direct Observation of Phagocytosis and NET-formation by Neutrophils in Infected Lungs using 2-photon Microscopy
08:50

Direct Observation of Phagocytosis and NET-formation by Neutrophils in Infected Lungs using 2-photon Microscopy

Published on: June 2, 2011

21.4K
A Standardized Method for Measuring Internal Lung Surface Area via Mouse Pneumonectomy and Prosthesis Implantation
08:46

A Standardized Method for Measuring Internal Lung Surface Area via Mouse Pneumonectomy and Prosthesis Implantation

Published on: July 26, 2017

14.1K

Area of Science:

  • Pulmonary research
  • Biomedical imaging
  • Cell biology

Background:

  • Historical debate on lung alveolar epithelium structure.
  • Early electron microscopy (EM) limitations in lung research.
  • Ewald Weibel's pioneering work in lung EM and stereology.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the evolution and impact of electron microscopy (EM) in lung research.
  • To highlight advancements in EM techniques for studying lung ultrastructure.
  • To emphasize the role of EM in understanding lung structure-function relationships.

Main Methods:

  • Application of electron microscopy (EM) to lung tissue.
  • Development and utilization of stereological methods for quantitative analysis.
  • Advancements in cryo-preparation, energy-filtering, and 3D EM techniques (e.g., array tomography, serial block face scanning EM, focused ion beam scanning EM, electron tomography).

Main Results:

  • Confirmation of lung alveolar epithelium and surfactant layer.
  • Explanation of previously observed structures like 'non-nucleated plates'.
  • Establishment of quantitative structure-function relationships in the lung through stereology.
  • New insights into lung ultrastructure provided by 3D EM datasets.

Conclusions:

  • Electron microscopy (EM) is indispensable for understanding lung functional design.
  • Modern EM techniques offer unparalleled resolution and an 'open view' into lung architecture.
  • Continued development of EM ensures its vital role in biomedical research.