Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Advertising Feature: Application Note
  • Published:

Recent developments in FEI's in situ cryo-electron tomography workflow

Nature Methods volume 13, pages iii–iv (2016)Cite this article

Subjects

Abstract

Studying the molecular machinery of cells from atomic details to the cellular context and beyond is a great challenge for cell biology. It requires the integration of dynamic and structural information obtained using different ranges of spatial resolution. In order for this to be accomplished, a comprehensive workflow is needed covering vitreous freezing, cryo-fluorescence microscopy, sample thinning by focused ion beam microscopy, and high-resolution cryo-electron tomography. This Application Note provides an overview of FEI's integrated product suite, providing a complete cryo-transmission electron microscopy (cryo-TEM) tomography workflow.

Access through your institution
Buy or subscribe

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Access through your institution

Buy this article

  • Purchase on SpringerLink
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Figure 1: The five essential steps of the cryo-TEM tomography workflow.
Figure 2: A key development enabling in situ cryo-TEM tomography is the specialized FIB milling procedure enabled by the Scios DualBeam that removes sample material above and below the desired thin lamella.
Figure 3: Averaged structure of a HeLa cell nuclear pore complex (NPC) obtained from a cryo-electron tomogram acquired using FEI's Volta phase plate technology.

References

  1. Rigort, A. & Plitzko, J.M. Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 581, 122–130 (2015).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Schaffer, M. et al. Bio Protoc. 5, e1575 (2015).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Rigort, A. et al. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 109, 4449–4454 (2012).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Mahamid, J. et al. Science 351, 969–972 (2016).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. FEI Munich GmbH, Gräfelfing, Germany

    Alexander Rigort

Authors
  1. Alexander Rigort
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Alexander Rigort.

Additional information

Disclaimer

This article was submitted to Nature Methods by a commercial organization and has not been peer reviewed. Nature Methods takes no responsibility for the accuracy or otherwise of the information provided.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Rigort, A. Recent developments in FEI's in situ cryo-electron tomography workflow. Nat Methods 13, iii–iv (2016). https://doi.org/10.1038/nmeth.f.399

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nmeth.f.399

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing