Mass Measurement in the Scanning Transmission Electron Microscope: A Powerful Tool for Studying Membrane Proteins

The technique of mass measurement in the scanning transmission electron microscope is briefly presented. Results obtained for membrane proteins, with particular emphasis on the channel forming proteins, are discussed. The data illustrate the versatility of the technique which is applicable to particulate, filamentous, and sheet-like structures. When combined with composition analysis, the absolute mass values measured with the STEM allow protein stoichiometries to be unambiguously defined. Copyright 1998 Academic Press.