title: The development of a glove-box/Vitrobot combination: air-water interface events visualized by cryo-TEM.
abstract: Aqueous interfaces are of paramount importance in the study of biological systems as well as in the biomedical sciences. To study these interfaces at the nanometer level it is of interest to develop methods that allow their observation with cryogenic transmission electron microscopy (cryo-TEM). Prevention of dehydration to preserve the "native" state during sample preparation prior to vitrification is often one of the most important parameters to control in cryo-TEM experiments. For the preparation of these types of samples, we felt the need for an extended workspace with temperature and humidity control; a 'glove-box' that seamlessly connects to the vitrification instrument, the Vitrobot. In this paper we describe the use of the glove-box in the 2D and 3D cryo-TEM study of DNA adsorption and calcium carbonate mineralization to Langmuir films. The data presented illustrates the necessity of a humidity-controlled environment to preserve the original "native" state of the monolayer system.
authors.affiliation: Soft Matter Cryo-TEM Research Unit, Eindhoven University of Technology, P.O. Box 513, 5600 MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Matthijn R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Vos
authors.forename: Paul H H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Bomans
authors.forename: Peter M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Frederik
authors.forename: Nico A J M
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Sommerdijk
mesh_terms: D000327:Adsorption; D000388:Air; D002119:Calcium Carbonate / Q000737:chemistry*; D020285:Cryoelectron Microscopy / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry*; D004867:Equipment Design; D006813:Humidity; D013501:Surface-Active Agents / Q000737:chemistry*; D013696:Temperature; D014867:Water
chemical_list: D013501:Surface-Active Agents; D014867:Water; D004247:DNA; D002119:Calcium Carbonate