Transmission electron microscopy in cell biology: sample preparation techniques and image information

Abstract

Transmission electron microscopy is a proven technique in the field of cell biology and a very useful tool in biomedical research. Innovation and improvements in equipment together with the introduction of new technology have allowed us to improve our knowledge of biological tissues, to visualize structures better and both to identify and to locate molecules. Of all the types of microscopy exploited to date, electron microscopy is the one with the most advantageous resolution limit and therefore it is a very efficient technique for deciphering the cell architecture and relating it to function. This chapter aims to provide an overview of the most important techniques that we can apply to a biological sample, tissue or cells, to observe it with an electron microscope, from the most conventional to the latest generation. Processes and concepts are defined, and the advantages and disadvantages of each technique are assessed along with the image and information that we can obtain by using each one of them.