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

Transmission Electron Microscopy01:15

Transmission Electron Microscopy

6.7K
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...
6.7K
Electron Microscope Tomography and Single-particle Reconstruction01:07

Electron Microscope Tomography and Single-particle Reconstruction

2.7K
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...
2.7K
Overview of Electron Microscopy01:25

Overview of Electron Microscopy

12.8K
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.
12.8K
Overview of Microscopy Techniques01:22

Overview of Microscopy Techniques

14.6K
The early pioneers of microscopy opened a window into the invisible world of microorganisms. In 1830, Joseph Jackson Lister created an essentially modern light microscope. The 20th century saw the development of microscopes that leveraged nonvisible light, such as fluorescence microscopy that uses an ultraviolet light source and electron microscopy that uses short-wavelength electron beams. These advances significantly improved magnification, image resolution, and contrast. By comparison, the...
14.6K
Preparation of Samples for Electron Microscopy01:20

Preparation of Samples for Electron Microscopy

6.6K
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...
6.6K
Cryo-electron Microscopy01:28

Cryo-electron Microscopy

4.1K
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...
4.1K

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

Pathway-resolved hierarchical self-assembly of biomimetic double-walled nanotubes.

Nanoscale·2026
Same author

Redirecting Excited-State Proton Transfer Through Supramolecular Polymerization in Nanoconfinement.

Angewandte Chemie (International ed. in English)·2026
Same author

Light and Dark Cycles Control the Structural Evolution of Photoresponsive Supramolecular Systems.

Angewandte Chemie (International ed. in English)·2026
Same author

Subcellular reorganization upon phage infection reveals stepwise assembly of viral particles from membrane-associated precursors.

Nature communications·2026
Same author

Glass Transition and Yielding of Ultrasoft Charged Spherical Micelles.

Macromolecules·2026
Same author

Adsorption of Methylene Blue onto Polydopamine-Functionalized Halloysite Nanotubes: Kinetics and Equilibrium Studies.

Langmuir : the ACS journal of surfaces and colloids·2025

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Dec 27, 2025

Light-Induced In Situ Transmission Electron Microscopy for Observation of the Liquid-Soft Matter Interaction
05:33

Light-Induced In Situ Transmission Electron Microscopy for Observation of the Liquid-Soft Matter Interaction

Published on: July 26, 2022

2.6K

A Technical Introduction to Transmission Electron Microscopy for Soft-Matter: Imaging, Possibilities, Choices, and

Linda E Franken1, Kay Grünewald1, Egbert J Boekema2

  • 1Department of Structural Cell Biology of Viruses, Heinrich-Pette Institute-Leibniz-Institute of Experimental Virology University of Hamburg, Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Notkestraße 85, 22607, Hamburg, Germany.

Small (Weinheim an Der Bergstrasse, Germany)
|March 5, 2020
PubMed
Summary

Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) is a vital structural analysis tool across many sciences. Recent technical advances enhance its capabilities, especially for soft matter chemistry applications.

Keywords:
(cryo) transmission electron microscopycontrastfocused ion beam millingimage formationsoft-matter

More Related Videos

Preparation and Observation of Thick Biological Samples by Scanning Transmission Electron Tomography
08:04

Preparation and Observation of Thick Biological Samples by Scanning Transmission Electron Tomography

Published on: March 12, 2017

9.7K
Author Spotlight: A Machine-Vision Approach to Transmission Electron Microscopy Workflows, Results Analysis and Data Management
10:23

Author Spotlight: A Machine-Vision Approach to Transmission Electron Microscopy Workflows, Results Analysis and Data Management

Published on: June 23, 2023

3.4K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Dec 27, 2025

Light-Induced In Situ Transmission Electron Microscopy for Observation of the Liquid-Soft Matter Interaction
05:33

Light-Induced In Situ Transmission Electron Microscopy for Observation of the Liquid-Soft Matter Interaction

Published on: July 26, 2022

2.6K
Preparation and Observation of Thick Biological Samples by Scanning Transmission Electron Tomography
08:04

Preparation and Observation of Thick Biological Samples by Scanning Transmission Electron Tomography

Published on: March 12, 2017

9.7K
Author Spotlight: A Machine-Vision Approach to Transmission Electron Microscopy Workflows, Results Analysis and Data Management
10:23

Author Spotlight: A Machine-Vision Approach to Transmission Electron Microscopy Workflows, Results Analysis and Data Management

Published on: June 23, 2023

3.4K

Area of Science:

  • Material Sciences
  • Physics
  • Soft Matter Chemistry
  • Biology

Background:

  • Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) is a fundamental structural analysis tool with broad applications.
  • Its ability to visualize structures from micrometers to angstroms makes it indispensable.
  • Continuous technical advancements are expanding its research potential.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To summarize technical considerations for electron imaging.
  • To highlight recent advances in electron microscopy.
  • To explore applications in soft matter chemistry.

Main Methods:

  • Review of electron optics and technology.
  • Discussion of sample preparation and processing.
  • Analysis of recent technological developments.

Main Results:

  • TEM remains a cornerstone methodology in science.
  • Technical improvements enhance imaging capabilities.
  • New applications are emerging, particularly in soft matter.

Conclusions:

  • Electron microscopy is crucial for structural analysis.
  • Ongoing innovations are broadening its scientific impact.
  • Soft matter chemistry benefits significantly from advanced TEM techniques.