High-performance serial block-face SEM of nonconductive biological samples enabled by focal gas injection-based charge compensation.

ABSTRACT: A longstanding limitation of imaging with serial block-face scanning electron microscopy is specimen surface charging. This charging is largely due to the difficulties in making biological specimens and the resins in which they are embedded sufficiently conductive. Local accumulation of charge on the specimen surface can result in poor image quality and distortions. Even minor charging can lead to misalignments between sequential images of the block-face due to image jitter. Typically, variable-pressure SEM is used to reduce specimen charging, but this results in a significant reduction to spatial resolution, signal-to-noise ratio and overall image quality. Here we show the development and application of a simple system that effectively mitigates specimen charging by using focal gas inject

SUBMITTER: Deerinck TJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5910240 | biostudies-literature | 2018 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature