Nanoscale 3D cellular imaging by axial scanning transmission electron tomography.
Electron tomography provides three-dimensional structural information about supramolecular assemblies and organelles in a cellular context, but image degradation, caused by scattering of transmitted electrons, limits applicability in specimens thicker than 300 nm. We found that scanning transmission electron tomography of 1,000-nm-thick samples using axial detection provided resolution comparable to that of conventional electron tomography. We demonstrated the method by reconstructing a human erythrocyte infected with the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum.
Hohmann-Marriott
Martin F
MF
National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.
Sousa
Alioscka A
AA
Azari
Afrouz A
AA
Glushakova
Svetlana
S
Zhang
Guofeng
G
Zimmerberg
Joshua
J
Leapman
Richard D
RD
D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D055032:Electron Microscope Tomography / Q000379:methods*; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods*; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods*; D036103:Nanotechnology / Q000379:methods*; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000648:ultrastructure*