Electron microscopy

Team

Scientific manager. Luc Bousset (CRCN, Luc.Bousset@cnrs.fr)

Support and consulting. CryoCapCell (Martin Belle, Xavier Heiligenstein)

Electron microscopy is an essential technology in neuroscience research. Its nanometric resolution allows a detailed study of the structure and constituents of neurons, glial cells and myelin sheaths. Our unit has a Phillips CM12 TEM microscope that can operate at various accelerating voltages (20, 40, 60, 80, 100 and 120 kV), depending on the sample and technique used. The resulting image can be displayed, captured and saved via a digital camera onto a pc. The microscope has a cool beam gun which causes less damage to the specimen. It is equipped with a digital camera (Erlangshen ES500W), intensively used by researchers and clinicians.

In the context of Neuratris, our laboratory is currently purchasing another microscope that will be used in BSL2 conditions making the laboratory unique for electron microscopy.

Microscopie CLEM (Correlative Light and Electron Microscopy)

This platform managed by the CryoCapCell Company (Mr. Belle, X Heiligenstein) offers methodologies, equipment and expertise to carry out multimodal imaging analyzes, with a particular accent on Clem correlative microscopy, which combines photonic and electronic microscopies.

Activities

Correlative optical and electron microscopy makes it possible to simultaneously obtain information from optical microscopy (localization of individual proteins in their hydrated native environment) and electron microscopy (near-atomic resolution). The technology developed makes it possible to combine a fluorescence microscope with a Live µ High Pressure Freezer which makes it possible to obtain a time correlation of <2s between live imaging and the vitrification of a thick sample (200µm) by freezing at high pressure.