Nanoscale Imaging of Whole Cells Using a Liquid Enclosure and a Scanning Transmission Electron Microscope

• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0008214
• Publication Date: 2009-12-14T19:01:31Z
• Authors: Diana B. Peckys; Gabriel M. Veith; David C. Joy; Niels de Jonge
• Keywords: Nanomaterials

Nanoscale imaging techniques are needed to investigate cellular function at the level of individual proteins and study interaction nanomaterials with biological systems. We imaged whole fixed cells in liquid state a scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM) using micrometer-sized enclosure transparent windows providing wet specimen environment. Wet-STEM images were obtained E. coli bacteria labeled gold nanoparticles attached surface membrane proteins. Mammalian (COS7) incubated gold-tagged epidermal growth factor fixed. STEM these resulted resolution 3 nm for nanoparticles. The wet-STEM method has several advantages over conventional techniques. Most important is capability image environment nanometer resolution, which can be used, e.g., map protein distributions in/on cells. sample preparation compatible that used fluorescent microscopy on experiments involving Thirdly, system rather simple involves only minimal new equipment an (EM) laboratory.