New products entail research for new materials. The advent of newer composite materials, probiotic and prebiotics, anti-oxidants and various other particulates and microbials for key applications in food, cosmetics, and healthcare have pushed the boundaries of imaging technologies to higher levels, thereby enabling imaging at nanometer resolutions. This has led to new developments in electron microscopy and high-resolution fluorescence imaging due to these technologies’ ability to look at subcellular architectures and also 3D live cell imaging capabilities. Developments in new techniques, such as stimulated emission depletion microscopy (STED), photo activated localization microscopy (PALM), and stochastic optical reconstruction microscopy (STORM) are progressing at a rapid pace and commercial instruments are beginning to surface from leading vendors such as Leica Microsystems, Carl Zeiss, and Nikon.
Toward this end, researchers from the Vanderbilt University, led by Neils de Jonge, an assistant professor at Vanderbilt University are developing a new imaging technique called liquid/wet scanning transmision electron microscopy (STEM) or Liquid STEM, for imaging live cells. In STEM, a narrow beam incident on a sample scans the entire sample. Each pixel is programmed to detect the number of electrons scattered to create an image. STEM enables 3D imaging. In the new technique termed liquid/wet STEM, the researchers led by Neils de Jonge developed a new microfluidic specimen holder made of silicon substrate comprising of electron transparent windows. The sample cells labeled with gold nanoparticles are enclosed in the microfluidic channel between the electron transparent windows in a liquid solution. The microfluidic chip is placed in the vacuum of an electron microscope. An electron beam is scanned across the cells and a dark field detector detects the scattered electrons. Transmission electron microscope (TEM) and scanning electron microscope (SEM) only image cells in vacuum, making it impossible for live cell imaging. Liquid STEM addresses this challenge by using a silicon microfluidic chip with micrometer-sized channels and electron transparent windows to enable 3D live cell imaging. The research group has used a 200 kV Hitachi HD2000, developed by Hitachi High Technologies America Inc.
The research group has spun-off a company called Protochips Inc, based in Raleigh, North Carolina, to commercialize microfluidic chips for liquid STEM applications. Liquid STEM technology itself is currently under development and thus yet to be proven for commercial use at a larger scale. Some challenges that needs to be addressed are with respect to background noise and artifacts (contaminants) arising from liquid solution or the transparent windows that can reduce the signal to noise ratio in addition to the technology challenges associated with STEM such as image darkening (less material residing in the path of the electron beam). According to Niels de Jonge, the new Liquid STEM technique offers the potential to combine the ultrahigh resolution of electron microscopy while maintaining much of the functionality of a light microscope. Neisl De Jonge’s research group collaborated with Vanderbilt Institute of Integrative Biosystem and Research to develop the microfluidic chip, and also collaborated with Oakridge National Laboratory for the electron microscopy.
Toward this end, researchers from the Vanderbilt University, led by Neils de Jonge, an assistant professor at Vanderbilt University are developing a new imaging technique called liquid/wet scanning transmision electron microscopy (STEM) or Liquid STEM, for imaging live cells. In STEM, a narrow beam incident on a sample scans the entire sample. Each pixel is programmed to detect the number of electrons scattered to create an image. STEM enables 3D imaging. In the new technique termed liquid/wet STEM, the researchers led by Neils de Jonge developed a new microfluidic specimen holder made of silicon substrate comprising of electron transparent windows. The sample cells labeled with gold nanoparticles are enclosed in the microfluidic channel between the electron transparent windows in a liquid solution. The microfluidic chip is placed in the vacuum of an electron microscope. An electron beam is scanned across the cells and a dark field detector detects the scattered electrons. Transmission electron microscope (TEM) and scanning electron microscope (SEM) only image cells in vacuum, making it impossible for live cell imaging. Liquid STEM addresses this challenge by using a silicon microfluidic chip with micrometer-sized channels and electron transparent windows to enable 3D live cell imaging. The research group has used a 200 kV Hitachi HD2000, developed by Hitachi High Technologies America Inc.
The research group has spun-off a company called Protochips Inc, based in Raleigh, North Carolina, to commercialize microfluidic chips for liquid STEM applications. Liquid STEM technology itself is currently under development and thus yet to be proven for commercial use at a larger scale. Some challenges that needs to be addressed are with respect to background noise and artifacts (contaminants) arising from liquid solution or the transparent windows that can reduce the signal to noise ratio in addition to the technology challenges associated with STEM such as image darkening (less material residing in the path of the electron beam). According to Niels de Jonge, the new Liquid STEM technique offers the potential to combine the ultrahigh resolution of electron microscopy while maintaining much of the functionality of a light microscope. Neisl De Jonge’s research group collaborated with Vanderbilt Institute of Integrative Biosystem and Research to develop the microfluidic chip, and also collaborated with Oakridge National Laboratory for the electron microscopy.
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