Nanoscale 3D cellular imaging by axial scanning transmission electron tomography.

Hohmann-Marriott, Martin F; Sousa, Alioscka A; Azari, Afrouz A; Glushakova, Svetlana; Zhang, Guofeng; Zimmerberg, Joshua; Leapman, Richard D · Nat Methods · 2009

basic_science · Level V

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Abstract

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.

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