STEM tomography in cell biology.
Transmission electron tomography has been used in biological sciences for quite some time and proven to be a valuable tool. However, to date, the different Scanning Transmission modes are almost not used for electron tomography on resin-embedded biological material. We explored different STEM modes on epon-embedded, osmium-uranyl-lead-stained biological material. Bright Field-TEM and High Angle Annular Dark Field-STEM tomograms from the same areas were recorded and compared. Contrast and signal-to-noise ratios were calculated. Template matching was used to validate results obtained in Bright Field-TEM and High Angle Annular Dark Field-STEM tomograms. It is concluded that High Angle Annular Dark Field-STEM gives a five times better contrast and signal-to-noise ratio than Bright Field-TEM. Template matching showed that 1.3 times more information could be extracted from High Angle Annular Dark Field-STEM tomograms than from Bright Field-TEM tomograms.
Yakushevska
A E
AE
Cellular Architecture and Dynamics, Institute of Biomembranes, Faculty of Science, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Lebbink
M N
MN
Geerts
W J C
WJ
Spek
L
L
van Donselaar
E G
EG
Jansen
K A
KA
Humbel
B M
BM
Post
J A
JA
Verkleij
A J
AJ
Koster
A J
AJ
D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002477:Cells / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D006801:Humans; D017348:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning Transmission / Q000379:methods*