biostudies-literatureVolkmann NNIGMS NIH HHS141-7https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC3294126biostudies-literatureUnknown24(1)A complete understanding of complex dynamic cellular processes such as cell migration or cell adhesion requires the integration of atomic level structural information into the larger cellular context. While direct atomic-level information at the cellular level remains inaccessible, electron microscopy, electron tomography and their associated computational image processing approaches have now matured to a point where sub-cellular structures can be imaged in three dimensions at the nanometer scale. Atomic-resolution information obtained by other means can be combined with this data to obtain three-dimensional models of large macromolecular assemblies in their cellular context. This article summarizes some recent advances in this field.Current opinion in cell biologyPutting structure into context: fitting of atomic models into electron microscopic and electron tomographic reconstructions.PMC3294126P01 GM098412U54 GM064346U54 GM064346-10GM098412P01 GM066311-09GM066311P01 GM066311P01 GM098412-02Volkmann NfalsePutting structure into context: fitting of atomic models into electron microscopic and electron tomographic reconstructions.A complete understanding of complex dynamic cellular processes such as cell migration or cell adhesion requires the integration of atomic level structural information into the larger cellular context. While direct atomic-level information at the cellular level remains inaccessible, electron microscopy, electron tomography and their associated computational image processing approaches have now matured to a point where sub-cellular structures can be imaged in three dimensions at the nanometer scale. Atomic-resolution information obtained by other means can be combined with this data to obtain three-dimensional models of large macromolecular assemblies in their cellular context. This article summarizes some recent advances in this field.2012-01-01T00:00:00Z2012 Feb2024-11-06T02:42:02.944Z2019-06-05T17:07:27ZS-EPMC32941262215294610.1016/j.ceb.2011.11.002