Biology

Toward Compositional Contrast by Cryo-STEM

M. Elbaum, S. Seifer, et al.

Discover how the innovative integration of scanning transmission electron microscopy is revolutionizing cryo-electron microscopy and tomography for biological specimens. Join researchers Michael Elbaum, Shahar Seifer, Lothar Houben, Sharon G. Wolf, and Peter Rez as they delve into advanced STEM techniques that enhance compositional analysis for thick biological samples.

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Playback language: English

Index

Abstract

This Account describes efforts to introduce scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) for cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) and tomography of biological specimens. Cryo-EM excels in resolution but is limited in providing compositional information. STEM, using incoherent elastic scattering, offers quantitative contrast sensitive to atomic number, enabling compositional analysis. The authors explore various STEM modes (bright field, annular dark field, high-angle annular dark field) and their applications to cryo-EM, including cryo-scanning transmission electron tomography (CSTET) of thick biological samples, estimation of ion concentrations, and detection of isolated ions.

Publisher

Accounts of Chemical Research

Published On

Sep 07, 2021

Authors

Michael Elbaum, Shahar Seifer, Lothar Houben, Sharon G. Wolf, Peter Rez

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.accounts.1c00279