Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 10, 2026

Electron Cryotomography of Bacterial Cells
Published on: May 6, 2010
Beyond resolution: Cryo-electron tomography of microbial nanomachines in native host context
Bas Leemburg1, Mohamad Harastani2, Armel Bezault3
1Integrative Structural Cell Biology, Department of Structural Biology and Chemistry, Institut Pasteur, Université Paris-Cité, CNRS UMR 3528, Paris, France; Institute of Biology Leiden, Universiteit Leiden, Sylviusweg 72, 2333 BE, Leiden, the Netherlands.
None:
Cryo-electron tomography (cryo-ET) has revolutionized visualization of bacterial nanomachines by revealing molecular structures in situ under near-native conditions. This review highlights recent advances extending cryo-ET from isolated cells to host-microbe interactions within intact tissues. We discuss technical solutions for large-volume imaging such as cryo-focused ion beam milling, correlative light and electron microscopy, and serial lift-out workflows that preserve native structural context. Computational developments in AI-driven denoising, segmentation, and sub-tomogram averaging enhance interpretability of low-dose tomograms. Using examples from predatory bacteria, intracellular pathogens, and squid symbionts, we demonstrate how cryo-ET elucidates mechanistic details of microbial interactions.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Cryo-electron Microscopy
Electron Microscope Tomography and Single-particle Reconstruction
Electron Tomography
Electron tomography can be performed either in TEM or STEM (scanning transmission...
Three-Dimensional Microscopy in Microbiology
Overview of Electron Microscopy
Two-Dimensional Microscopy in Microbiology

