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Overview of Electron Microscopy

Overview of Electron Microscopy

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.

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Electron Microscope Tomography and Single-particle Reconstruction

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Electron Tomography
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Transmission Electron Microscopy

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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...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 14, 2025

Electron Cryotomography of Bacterial Cells

Electron Cryotomography of Bacterial Cells

Published on: May 6, 2010

Liquid Phase Electron Microscopy of Bacterial Ultrastructure.

Brian J Caffrey¹, Adrián Pedrazo-Tardajos¹, Emanuela Liberti¹

¹The Rosalind Franklin Institute, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot, OX11 OQX, UK.

Small (Weinheim an Der Bergstrasse, Germany)

|September 6, 2024

Summary

Liquid phase scanning transmission electron microscopy (LP-STEM) allows live-cell imaging but faces challenges with sample thickness and electron beam damage. Graphene encapsulation overcomes these issues, revealing detailed intracellular structures in bacteria.

Keywords:

deinococcus.radiodurans energy dispersive x‐ray spectroscopy graphene encapsulation liquid phase manganese uptake radiation resistance scanning transmission electron microscopy

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Last Updated: Jun 14, 2025

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Published on: January 17, 2018

Applying Live Cell Imaging and Cryo-Electron Tomography to Resolve Spatiotemporal Features of the Legionella pneumophila Dot/Icm Secretion System

Applying Live Cell Imaging and Cryo-Electron Tomography to Resolve Spatiotemporal Features of the Legionella pneumophila Dot/Icm Secretion System

Published on: March 10, 2020

Area of Science:

Electron Microscopy
Cell Biology
Materials Science

Background:

Liquid phase scanning transmission electron microscopy (LP-STEM) offers high-resolution imaging of dynamic biological processes.
Challenges include thick samples and electron beam damage, limiting image quality and biological interpretation.

Purpose of the Study:

To demonstrate the potential of LP-STEM for examining intracellular structures in thick biological samples.
To overcome limitations of LP-STEM using graphene encapsulation and advanced spectroscopy.

Main Methods:

Utilized graphene encapsulation to prepare aqueous biological specimens.
Employed scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) for imaging.
Applied energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy for elemental analysis.

Main Results:

Achieved unprecedented levels of intracellular detail in aqueous specimens.
Successfully imaged thick biological samples, including the bacterium Deinococcus radiodurans.
Demonstrated mitigation of electron beam damage and improved image quality.

Conclusions:

Graphene encapsulation is effective in enhancing LP-STEM for high-resolution imaging of cellular ultrastructure.
LP-STEM, combined with graphene, is a powerful tool for studying radiation-resistant bacteria and other thick biological samples.
This technique advances live-cell imaging capabilities in electron microscopy.