Imaging of biological structures with the scanning transmission electron microscope

Area of Science:

• Microscopy and Imaging
• Biological Sciences
• Materials Science

Background:

• Electron microscopy is crucial for biological research.
• Scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) offers unique capabilities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the biological applications of STEM.
• To highlight practical uses and theoretical considerations of STEM in biology.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing elastic and inelastic dark-field modes in STEM.
• Applying STEM for quantitative measurements like mass-mapping and element-mapping.

Main Results:

• STEM provides high-resolution information on sample scattering power.
• Demonstrated utility of STEM in various biological projects.
• Quantitative mapping (mass, element) achieved at high resolution.

Conclusions:

• STEM is an ideal tool for quantitative biological imaging.
• Acknowledged limitations include multiple scattering and quantum noise.