FLUID-CELL: Flow-enabled Light and Ultrastructural Imaging Device for Correlative Electron and Light Localization

Area of Science:

• Cell Biology
• Microscopy
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Correlative light and electron microscopy (CLEM) is crucial for understanding cellular ultrastructure and function.
• Existing CLEM techniques can be limited by sample preparation and workflow complexity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce a novel microfluidic flow cell, FLUID-CELL, for seamless integration of fluorescence light microscopy (FLM) and cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM).
• To enable correlative imaging of dynamic cellular events with high-resolution ultrastructural data.

Main Methods:

• Development of a microfluidic flow cell (FLUID-CELL) with a precisely engineered microchannel.
• Integration of FLM for real-time observation and cryo-EM for ultrastructural analysis within the same device.
• Maintaining native cell culturing conditions throughout the imaging process.

Main Results:

• Demonstrated practical FLM imaging over extended periods.
• Achieved consistent sample handling and enabled correlative imaging.
• Successfully connected dynamic cellular processes observed by FLM with high-resolution cryo-EM data.

Conclusions:

• The FLUID-CELL device streamlines the workflow for dual-modality imaging.
• This approach opens new avenues for investigating the relationship between cellular function and molecular architecture.
• Facilitates nanoscale structural and ultrastructural analyses of biological samples.