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Cryo-electron Microscopy

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: Jan 4, 2026

Fast Grid Preparation for Time-Resolved Cryo-Electron Microscopy

Fast Grid Preparation for Time-Resolved Cryo-Electron Microscopy

Published on: November 6, 2021

A cryo-EM grid preparation device for time-resolved structural studies.

Dimitrios Kontziampasis^1,2, David P Klebl^1,2, Matthew G Iadanza^3,2

¹School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK.

|November 12, 2019

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

A novel cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) device enables rapid sample preparation for time-resolved studies. This technology visualizes dynamic biomolecular changes at microsecond to millisecond timescales, advancing structural biology.

Keywords:

microscope hardware sample preparation structural biology time-resolved cryo-EM voltage-assisted spraying

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Preparation of High-Temperature Sample Grids for Cryo-EM

Preparation of High-Temperature Sample Grids for Cryo-EM

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Last Updated: Jan 4, 2026

Fast Grid Preparation for Time-Resolved Cryo-Electron Microscopy

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Published on: November 6, 2021

Cryo-Electron Microscopic Grid Preparation for Time-Resolved Studies using a Novel Robotic System, Spotiton

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Published on: February 25, 2021

Preparation of High-Temperature Sample Grids for Cryo-EM

Preparation of High-Temperature Sample Grids for Cryo-EM

Published on: July 26, 2021

Area of Science:

Structural biology
Biophysics
Biochemistry

Background:

Traditional structural biology offers static protein snapshots, limiting understanding of dynamic functional mechanisms.
Time-resolved structural biology visualizes macromolecular conformational changes at high resolution.
X-ray free-electron lasers excel at femtosecond-picosecond enzyme dynamics, while cryo-EM is suited for microsecond-millisecond motions.

Purpose of the Study:

To develop and validate a cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) grid preparation device for time-resolved studies.
To enable visualization of large loop and domain motions in biomolecules at microsecond to millisecond timescales.
To improve temporal resolution in time-resolved cryo-EM experiments.

Main Methods:

A novel device for rapid mixing, voltage-assisted spraying, and vitrification of biological samples.
Cryo-electron microscopy grid preparation allowing for rapid mixing via blot-and-spray or mix-and-spray.
Data collection from single grids to achieve high-resolution reconstructions.

Main Results:

The device produces cryo-EM grids of sufficient ice quality for high-resolution data collection.
Sub-4 Ångström resolution reconstructions were achieved from single grids.
Rapid mixing achieved with a delay of approximately 10 milliseconds, improving temporal resolution.

Conclusions:

The developed cryo-EM grid preparation device significantly enhances the capability of time-resolved structural biology.
This technology allows for the study of dynamic biomolecular processes at unprecedented temporal resolution.
The device facilitates near-atomic resolution visualization of macromolecular conformational changes.