What kinds of electron microscopy techniques are available?
We have four electron microscopes: two scanning electron microscopes (SEM) and two transmission electron microscopes (TEM). SEMs are great for looking at the microscopic surfaces of objects, ranging from biomaterial scaffolds, cells, tissues, and bone. In particular, the LEO Field Emission SEM can reveal protein complexes on the surfaces of cells. In addition, we have developed selective extraction methods so that subcellular structure (cytoskeleton) is revealed using SEM of whole cells after plasma membrane removal. TEMs are great for thin sections within tissues to reveal subcellular structures such as membranes. The details that TEM can reveal are exquisitely fine, almost molecular in spatial resolution. Immuno-electron microscopy services are available, too. In this technique, primary antibodies are conjugated to colloidal gold particles and used to decorate thin sections; they appear as dark spots in the TEM. In principle, multiple antibodies can be conjugated to different sized g
