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Cryogenic Transmission Electron Microscopy: Aqueous Suspensions of Nanoscale Objects

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 September 2013

Nathan D. Burrows  and
R. Lee Penn
Nathan D. Burrows
Affiliation:
Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota – Twin Cities 207 Pleasant St. SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
R. Lee Penn*
Affiliation:
Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota – Twin Cities 207 Pleasant St. SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
*
*Corresponding author. E-mail: rleepenn@umn.edu
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Abstract

Direct imaging of nanoscale objects suspended in liquid media can be accomplished using cryogenic transmission electron microscopy (cryo-TEM). Cryo-TEM has been used with particular success in microbiology and other biological fields. Samples are prepared by plunging a thin film of sample into an appropriate cryogen, which essentially produces a snapshot of the suspended objects in their liquid medium. With successful sample preparation, cryo-TEM images can facilitate elucidation of aggregation and self-assembly, as well as provide detailed information about cells and viruses. This work provides an explanation of sample preparation, detailed examples of the many artifacts found in cryo-TEM of aqueous samples, and other key considerations for successful cryo-TEM imaging.

Keywords

colloidscryogenic transmission electron microscopycryo-TEMcryo-TEM artifactselectron microscopynanoparticlessample preparation
Type
Materials Applications
Information
Microscopy and Microanalysis , Volume 19 , Issue 6 , December 2013 , pp. 1542 - 1553
Copyright
Copyright © Microscopy Society of America 2013 

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Footnotes

†

Present address: Chemical & Life Science Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, School of Chemical Sciences, University of Illinois, A524, Box # 52-6, 600 S Mathews, Urbana, IL 61801, USA

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