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Ultrastructure Imaging: Imaging and Probing the Structure and Molecular Make-Up of Cells and Tissues

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Advanced Imaging in Biology and Medicine
  • 2013 Accesses

Abstract

The past few years have seen dramatic improvements in life science microscopy. This chapter points out important recent developments that will probably affect many researchers in this field. Super-resolution fluorescence light microscopy allows for ultrastructure imaging of living cells. In electron tomograms, macromolecular complexes can be directly identified by shape without the need for labeling. Atomic force microscopes image isolated elements of the ultrastructure, including membranes and macromolecules, at submolecular resolution. This technology also makes molecular interactions directly accessible by measuring binding forces. In the chapter, new concepts are discussed in relation to current mainstream techniques. We will end with a brief discussion of novel concepts that could allow the molecular compositions of cells and tissues to be mapped in an unbiased, systematic way.

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Correspondence to Matthias Amrein .

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Amrein, M. (2009). Ultrastructure Imaging: Imaging and Probing the Structure and Molecular Make-Up of Cells and Tissues. In: Sensen, C.W., Hallgrímsson, B. (eds) Advanced Imaging in Biology and Medicine. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-68993-5_8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-68993-5_8

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-540-68992-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-540-68993-5

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

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