Seeing Beyond the Greyscale: Rapid Elemental Characterisation of Biological Samples

Precise identification and localisation of molecules and organelles on the sub-cellular level is essential for a comprehensive understanding of key processes within biological samples. To achieve this, researchers utilise advanced microscopy techniques such as super resolution microscopy and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). These techniques are increasingly being employed in succession on the same sample, in order to correlate specifically labelled fluorescent molecules imaged with light microscopy to ultrastructural features at the TEM level. However, these techniques are limited in their ability to determine the elemental composition of biological samples at the ultrastructural level.

In this webinar, the speakers demonstrate the complementary potential of analytical scanning electron microscopy (SEM) for fast and precise elemental characterisation of ultrastructural features in biological samples, without the need for specific labelling. They will introduce developments in energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDS), enabling nanometre scale chemical analyses of biological samples in a matter of minutes, and demonstrate how the results complement information from both TEM and fluorescence microscopy. Application examples will be shown from various samples, including diseased and healthy erythroblast cells.

In this webinar, you will learn how:

• Recognise the impact of recent developments in SEM-based microanalysis
• Understand the added value compositional information provides over exclusively structural characterisation of biological samples
• Familiarise themselves with the principles of EDS in the SEM and how it can be applied to biological samples for rapid and unbiased characterisation on the nanoscale
• Compare the benefits of SEM-based EDS analysis to conventional TEM and optical microscopy techniques