Correlative cathodoluminescence electron microscopy bioimaging: towards single protein labelling with ultrastructural...

Area of Science:

• Nanoscale imaging
• Correlative microscopy
• Biomedical research

Background:

• Microscopy is crucial for understanding nanoscale structure-function relationships in living systems.
• Electron microscopy visualizes structures by electron density, but lacks molecular specificity.
• Correlative techniques aim to combine modalities, but face resolution mismatches and sample prep challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the opportunities and challenges of correlative cathodoluminescence electron microscopy (CCLEM) for nanoscale bioimaging.
• To discuss the potential of CCLEM for multi-color single protein labeling and volumetric imaging.
• To benchmark CCLEM against other high-resolution correlative imaging techniques.

Main Methods:

• Discussion of correlative cathodoluminescence electron microscopy (CCLEM) principles.
• Analysis of CCLEM's capabilities for nanoscale imaging and molecular localization.
• Comparison of CCLEM with other correlative light and electron microscopy techniques.

Main Results:

• CCLEM enables nanometric resolution for both electron and optical signals.
• It offers potential for multi-color single protein labeling.
• Challenges include potential sample damage from high-energy electron beams.

Conclusions:

• CCLEM presents significant opportunities for advancing biomedical research through high-resolution imaging.
• Further development is needed to address challenges like sample preparation and beam damage.
• CCLEM shows promise for detailed visualization of biological systems at the nanoscale.