title: Imaging and elemental mapping of biological specimens with a dual-EDS dedicated scanning transmission electron microscope.
abstract: A dedicated analytical scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM) with dual energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) detectors has been designed for complementary high performance imaging as well as high sensitivity elemental analysis and mapping of biological structures. The performance of this new design, based on a Hitachi HD-2300A model, was evaluated using a variety of biological specimens. With three imaging detectors, both the surface and internal structure of cells can be examined simultaneously. The whole-cell elemental mapping, especially of heavier metal species that have low cross-section for electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS), can be faithfully obtained. Optimization of STEM imaging conditions is applied to thick sections as well as thin sections of biological cells under low-dose conditions at room and cryogenic temperatures. Such multimodal capabilities applied to soft/biological structures usher a new era for analytical studies in biological systems.
authors.affiliation: Northwestern University Atomic and Nanoscale Characterization Experimental (NUANCE) Center, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA. jinsong-wu@northwestern.edu
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bleher
authors.forename: B D
authors.initials: BD
authors.lastname: Myers
authors.forename: R G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Marvin
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Inada
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.forename: X F
authors.initials: XF
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Roth
authors.forename: S Y
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: T K
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Woodruff
authors.forename: T V
authors.initials: TV
authors.lastname: O'Halloran
authors.forename: Vinayak P
authors.initials: VP
authors.lastname: Dravid
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D020285:Cryoelectron Microscopy / Q000379:methods; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D006801:Humans; D007515:Islets of Langerhans / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D008297:Male; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000032:analysis; D017348:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning Transmission / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D013052:Spectrometry, X-Ray Emission / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D046590:Spectroscopy, Electron Energy-Loss / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000166:cytology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D014027:Tobacco Mosaic Virus / Q000648:ultrastructure*
chemical_list: D019216:Metals, Heavy