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Konopová B, Týč J. Minimal resin embedding of SBF-SEM samples reduces charging and facilitates finding a surface-linked region of interest. Front Zool 2023; 20:29. [PMID: 37641135 PMCID: PMC10463905 DOI: 10.1186/s12983-023-00507-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2023] [Accepted: 08/02/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND For decoding the mechanism of how cells and organs function information on their ultrastructure is essential. High-resolution 3D imaging has revolutionized morphology. Serial block face scanning electron microscopy (SBF-SEM) offers non-laborious, automated imaging in 3D of up to ~ 1 mm3 large biological objects at nanometer-scale resolution. For many samples there are obstacles. Quality imaging is often hampered by charging effects, which originate in the nonconductive resin used for embedding. Especially, if the imaged region of interest (ROI) includes the surface of the sample and neighbours the empty resin, which insulates the object. This extra resin also obscures the sample's morphology, thus making navigation to the ROI difficult. RESULTS Using the example of small arthropods and a fish roe we describe a workflow to prepare samples for SBF-SEM using the minimal resin (MR) embedding method. We show that for imaging of surface structures this simple approach conveniently tackles and solves both of the two major problems-charging and ROI localization-that complicate imaging of SBF-SEM samples embedded in an excess of overlying resin. As the surface ROI is not masked by the resin, samples can be precisely trimmed before they are placed into the imaging chamber. The initial approaching step is fast and easy. No extra trimming inside the microscope is necessary. Importantly, charging is absent or greatly reduced meaning that imaging can be accomplished under good vacuum conditions, typically at the optimal high vacuum. This leads to better resolution, better signal to noise ratio, and faster image acquisition. CONCLUSIONS In MR embedded samples charging is minimized and ROI easily targeted. MR embedding does not require any special equipment or skills. It saves effort, microscope time and eventually leads to high quality data. Studies on surface-linked ROIs, or any samples normally surrounded by the excess of resin, would benefit from adopting the technique.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbora Konopová
- Institute of Entomology, Biology Centre CAS, České Budějovice, Czech Republic.
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, Czech Republic.
| | - Jiří Týč
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre CAS, České Budějovice, Czech Republic.
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Sanders S, Jensen Y, Reimer R, Bosse JB. From the beginnings to multidimensional light and electron microscopy of virus morphogenesis. Adv Virus Res 2023; 116:45-88. [PMID: 37524482 DOI: 10.1016/bs.aivir.2023.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/02/2023]
Abstract
Individual functional viral morphogenesis events are often dynamic, short, and infrequent and might be obscured by other pathways and dead-end products. Volumetric live cell imaging has become an essential tool for studying viral morphogenesis events. It allows following entire dynamic processes while providing functional evidence that the imaged process is involved in viral production. Moreover, it allows to capture many individual events and allows quantitative analysis. Finally, the correlation of volumetric live-cell data with volumetric electron microscopy (EM) can provide crucial insights into the ultrastructure and mechanisms of viral morphogenesis events. Here, we provide an overview and discussion of suitable imaging methods for volumetric correlative imaging of viral morphogenesis and frame them in a historical summary of their development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saskia Sanders
- Department of Virology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany; Leibniz Institute of Virology (LIV), Hamburg, Germany; Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Hamburg, Germany; Cluster of Excellence RESIST (EXC 2155), Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Yannick Jensen
- Department of Virology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany; Leibniz Institute of Virology (LIV), Hamburg, Germany; Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Hamburg, Germany; Cluster of Excellence RESIST (EXC 2155), Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | | | - Jens B Bosse
- Department of Virology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany; Leibniz Institute of Virology (LIV), Hamburg, Germany; Centre for Structural Systems Biology, Hamburg, Germany; Cluster of Excellence RESIST (EXC 2155), Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.
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3
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Ferrandiz N, Royle SJ. 3D Ultrastructural Visualization of Mitosis Fidelity in Human Cells Using Serial Block Face Scanning Electron Microscopy (SBF-SEM). Bio Protoc 2023; 13:e4708. [PMID: 37449034 PMCID: PMC10336565 DOI: 10.21769/bioprotoc.4708] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2022] [Revised: 03/01/2023] [Accepted: 04/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Errors in chromosome segregation during mitosis lead to chromosome instability, resulting in an unbalanced number of chromosomes in the daughter cells. Light microscopy has been used extensively to study chromosome missegregation by visualizing errors of the mitotic spindle. However, less attention has been paid to understanding spindle function in the broader context of intracellular structures and organelles during mitosis. Here, we outline a protocol to visualize chromosomes and endomembranes in mitosis, combining light microscopy and 3D volume electron microscopy, serial block-face scanning electron microscopy (SBF-SEM). SBF-SEM provides high-resolution imaging of large volumes and subcellular structures, followed by image analysis and 3D reconstruction. This protocol allows scientists to visualize the whole subcellular context of the spindle during mitosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nuria Ferrandiz
- Centre for Mechanochemical Cell Biology and Division of Biomedical Sciences, Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Gibbet Hill Road, Coventry, CV4 7AL, UK
| | - Stephen J. Royle
- Centre for Mechanochemical Cell Biology and Division of Biomedical Sciences, Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Gibbet Hill Road, Coventry, CV4 7AL, UK
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D'Imprima E, Garcia Montero M, Gawrzak S, Ronchi P, Zagoriy I, Schwab Y, Jechlinger M, Mahamid J. Light and electron microscopy continuum-resolution imaging of 3D cell cultures. Dev Cell 2023; 58:616-632.e6. [PMID: 36990090 PMCID: PMC10114294 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2023.03.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2021] [Revised: 12/14/2022] [Accepted: 03/02/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023]
Abstract
3D cell cultures, in particular organoids, are emerging models in the investigation of healthy or diseased tissues. Understanding the complex cellular sociology in organoids requires integration of imaging modalities across spatial and temporal scales. We present a multi-scale imaging approach that traverses millimeter-scale live-cell light microscopy to nanometer-scale volume electron microscopy by performing 3D cell cultures in a single carrier that is amenable to all imaging steps. This allows for following organoids' growth, probing their morphology with fluorescent markers, identifying areas of interest, and analyzing their 3D ultrastructure. We demonstrate this workflow on mouse and human 3D cultures and use automated image segmentation to annotate and quantitatively analyze subcellular structures in patient-derived colorectal cancer organoids. Our analyses identify local organization of diffraction-limited cell junctions in compact and polarized epithelia. The continuum-resolution imaging pipeline is thus suited to fostering basic and translational organoid research by simultaneously exploiting the advantages of light and electron microscopy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edoardo D'Imprima
- Structural and Computational Biology Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Meyerhofstrasse 1, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Marta Garcia Montero
- Cell Biology and Biophysics Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Meyerhofstrasse 1, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Sylwia Gawrzak
- Cell Biology and Biophysics Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Meyerhofstrasse 1, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Paolo Ronchi
- Electron Microscopy Core Facility, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Meyerhofstrasse 1, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Ievgeniia Zagoriy
- Structural and Computational Biology Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Meyerhofstrasse 1, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Yannick Schwab
- Cell Biology and Biophysics Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Meyerhofstrasse 1, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany; Electron Microscopy Core Facility, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Meyerhofstrasse 1, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Martin Jechlinger
- Cell Biology and Biophysics Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Meyerhofstrasse 1, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany.
| | - Julia Mahamid
- Structural and Computational Biology Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Meyerhofstrasse 1, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany; Cell Biology and Biophysics Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Meyerhofstrasse 1, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany.
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Iudin A, Hartley M, Kleywegt GJ, Patwardhan A. Public archiving of volume EM data. Methods Cell Biol 2023; 177:389-399. [PMID: 37451775 DOI: 10.1016/bs.mcb.2023.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/29/2023]
Abstract
Volume electron microscopy (vEM) techniques produce scientifically important datasets which are time and resource intensive to generate (Peddie et al., 2022). Public archival of such datasets, usually described in the literature, provides many benefits to the data depositors, to those making use of research results based on the datasets, and to the vEM community at large, both now and in the future. In this chapter we discuss these benefits, explain how EMBL-EBI's image data services support archival of both vEM and correlative imaging data, and discuss how future developments will unlock more value from these vEM datasets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrii Iudin
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), Hinxton, Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom
| | - Matthew Hartley
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), Hinxton, Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom
| | - Gerard J Kleywegt
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), Hinxton, Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom.
| | - Ardan Patwardhan
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), Hinxton, Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom
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Dumoux M, Smith JLR, Glen T, Grange M, Darrow MC, Naismith JH. A protocol for cryogenic volumetric imaging using serial plasma FIB/SEM. Methods Cell Biol 2023; 177:327-358. [PMID: 37451772 DOI: 10.1016/bs.mcb.2023.01.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/11/2023]
Abstract
Cryogenic volumetric imaging using serial plasma focused ion beam scanning electron microscopy (serial pFIB/SEM) is a new and exciting correlative volume electron microscopy (vEM) technique. It enables visualization of un-stained, cryogenically immobilized cells and tissues with ∼20-50nm resolution and a field of view of ∼10-30μm resulting in near-native state imaging and the possibility of microscale, mesoscale and nanoscale correlative imaging. We have written a detailed protocol for optimization of FIB and SEM parameters to reduce imaging artefacts and enable downstream computational processing and analysis. While our experience is based on use of a single system, the protocol has been written to be as hardware and software agnostic as possible, with a focus on the purpose of each step rather than a fully procedural description to provide a useful resource regardless of the system/software in use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maud Dumoux
- Structural Biology, The Rosalind Franklin Institute, Harwell Science & Innovation Campus, Didcot, United Kingdom
| | - Jake L R Smith
- Structural Biology, The Rosalind Franklin Institute, Harwell Science & Innovation Campus, Didcot, United Kingdom; Division of Structural Biology, Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Thomas Glen
- Structural Biology, The Rosalind Franklin Institute, Harwell Science & Innovation Campus, Didcot, United Kingdom
| | - Michael Grange
- Structural Biology, The Rosalind Franklin Institute, Harwell Science & Innovation Campus, Didcot, United Kingdom; Division of Structural Biology, Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Michele C Darrow
- Artificial Intelligence and Informatics, The Rosalind Franklin Institute, Harwell Science & Innovation Campus, Didcot, United Kingdom; SPT Labtech Ltd, Melbourn Science Park, Melbourn, United Kingdom.
| | - James H Naismith
- Structural Biology, The Rosalind Franklin Institute, Harwell Science & Innovation Campus, Didcot, United Kingdom; Division of Structural Biology, Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, United Kingdom
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Chang IY, Rahman M, Harned A, Cohen-Fix O, Narayan K. Cryo-fluorescence microscopy of high-pressure frozen C. elegans enables correlative FIB-SEM imaging of targeted embryonic stages in the intact worm. Methods Cell Biol 2020; 162:223-252. [PMID: 33707014 DOI: 10.1016/bs.mcb.2020.09.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Rapidly changing features in an intact biological sample are challenging to efficiently trap and image by conventional electron microscopy (EM). For example, the model organism C. elegans is widely used to study embryonic development and differentiation, yet the fast kinetics of cell division makes the targeting of specific developmental stages for ultrastructural study difficult. We set out to image the condensed metaphase chromosomes of an early embryo in the intact worm in 3-D. To achieve this, one must capture this transient structure, then locate and subsequently image the corresponding volume by EM in the appropriate context of the organism, all while minimizing a variety of artifacts. In this methodological advance, we report on the high-pressure freezing of spatially constrained whole C. elegans hermaphrodites in a combination of cryoprotectants to identify embryonic cells in metaphase by in situ cryo-fluorescence microscopy. The screened worms were then freeze substituted, resin embedded and further prepared such that the targeted cells were successfully located and imaged by focused ion beam scanning electron microscopy (FIB-SEM). We reconstructed the targeted metaphase structure and also correlated an intriguing punctate fluorescence signal to a H2B-enriched putative polar body autophagosome in an adjacent cell undergoing telophase. By enabling cryo-fluorescence microscopy of thick samples, our workflow can thus be used to trap and image transient structures in C. elegans or similar organisms in a near-native state, and then reconstruct their corresponding cellular architectures at high resolution and in 3-D by correlative volume EM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irene Y Chang
- Center for Molecular Microscopy, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, MD, United States; Cancer Research Technology Program, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, MD, United States
| | - Mohammad Rahman
- The Laboratory of Biochemistry and Genetics, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Adam Harned
- Center for Molecular Microscopy, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, MD, United States; Cancer Research Technology Program, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, MD, United States
| | - Orna Cohen-Fix
- The Laboratory of Biochemistry and Genetics, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Kedar Narayan
- Center for Molecular Microscopy, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, MD, United States; Cancer Research Technology Program, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, MD, United States.
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Ochs M, Knudsen L, Hegermann J, Wrede C, Grothausmann R, Mühlfeld C. Using electron microscopes to look into the lung. Histochem Cell Biol 2016; 146:695-707. [PMID: 27688057 DOI: 10.1007/s00418-016-1502-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/20/2016] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
In the nineteenth century, there was a dispute about the existence of a lung alveolar epithelium which remained unsolved until the invention of electron microscopy (EM) and its application to the lung. From the early 1960s, Ewald Weibel became the master of lung EM. He showed that the alveolar epithelium is covered with a lining layer containing surfactant. Weibel also explained the phenomenon of "non-nucleated plates" observed already in 1881 by Albert Kölliker. Weibel's most significant contribution was to the development of stereological methods. Therefore, quantitative characterization of lung structure revealing structure-function relationships became possible. Today, the spectrum of EM methods to study the fine structure of the lung has been extended significantly. Cryo-preparation techniques are available which are necessary for immunogold labeling of molecules. Energy-filtering techniques can be used for the detection of elements. There have also been major improvements in stereology, thus providing a very versatile toolbox for quantitative lung phenotype analyses. A new dimension was added by 3D EM techniques. Depending on the desired sample size and resolution, the spectrum ranges from array tomography via serial block face scanning EM and focused ion beam scanning EM to electron tomography. These 3D datasets provide new insights into lung ultrastructure. Biomedical EM is an ever-developing field. Its high resolution remains unparalleled. Moreover, EM has the unique advantage of providing an "open view" into cells and tissues within their full architectural context. Therefore, EM will remain an indispensable tool for a better understanding of the lung's functional design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthias Ochs
- Institute of Functional and Applied Anatomy, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Str. 1, 30625, Hannover, Germany. .,Biomedical Research in Endstage and Obstructive Lung Disease Hannover (BREATH), Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Hannover, Germany. .,REBIRTH Cluster of Excellence, Hannover, Germany.
| | - Lars Knudsen
- Institute of Functional and Applied Anatomy, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Str. 1, 30625, Hannover, Germany.,Biomedical Research in Endstage and Obstructive Lung Disease Hannover (BREATH), Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Hannover, Germany.,REBIRTH Cluster of Excellence, Hannover, Germany
| | - Jan Hegermann
- Institute of Functional and Applied Anatomy, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Str. 1, 30625, Hannover, Germany.,REBIRTH Cluster of Excellence, Hannover, Germany
| | - Christoph Wrede
- Institute of Functional and Applied Anatomy, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Str. 1, 30625, Hannover, Germany.,REBIRTH Cluster of Excellence, Hannover, Germany
| | - Roman Grothausmann
- Institute of Functional and Applied Anatomy, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Str. 1, 30625, Hannover, Germany.,REBIRTH Cluster of Excellence, Hannover, Germany
| | - Christian Mühlfeld
- Institute of Functional and Applied Anatomy, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Str. 1, 30625, Hannover, Germany.,Biomedical Research in Endstage and Obstructive Lung Disease Hannover (BREATH), Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Hannover, Germany.,REBIRTH Cluster of Excellence, Hannover, Germany
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