Electron microscopy

Electron microscopy uses focused electron beams to form images of specimens, resolving structures beyond the practical resolution of visible-light microscopes.

Transmission electron microscopy: An electron microscopy method that forms images from electrons transmitted through a thin specimen. It reveals internal structure by detecting electrons that pass through the specimen.
Electron microscope specimen preparation: The processes used to preserve, thin, stain, or otherwise prepare specimens for electron imaging. Preparation determines whether delicate structures survive vacuum, sectioning, and irradiation.
Cryo-electron microscopy: Electron microscopy of rapidly frozen specimens, often used to determine biological structures. Vitrified samples preserve hydrated biomolecules without conventional staining.
Light microscopy: Microscopy that forms images using visible or other light and optical lenses. It offers simpler preparation and live imaging, but lower resolving power than electron microscopy.
Scanning electron microscopy: An electron microscopy method that scans a focused beam across a specimen and detects emitted signals. Its scanned surface signals produce detailed images of specimen topography.
Negative staining: A microscopy preparation method that surrounds a specimen with an electron-dense stain. It makes small particles visible by increasing contrast around their outlines.
Cryo-electron tomography: A method that combines tilted cryo-electron microscopy images into three-dimensional views of frozen specimens. It reconstructs cellular structures in near-native contexts.
Atomic force microscopy: A scanning-probe method that maps surfaces by sensing forces between a sharp tip and a sample. It images surface topography without an electron beam or vacuum.
Electron gun: A device that generates and accelerates electrons into a beam. The electron source sets beam brightness and contributes to attainable resolution.
Ultramicrotomy: The cutting of extremely thin sections for examination by microscopy. Transmission imaging often requires sections thin enough for electrons to pass through.

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