Oh My Darlin CLEMentine
These lava-like blobs transform into a neon light show due to an incredible imaging technique called Cryo Correlative Light and Electron Microscopy (cryo-CLEM). What we see here are two individual cells imaged using a combination of fluorescence microscopy (a form of light microscopy) and electron microscopy to give researchers a detailed view of the structure and organization of these cells.
Media For Educational Use Only
DownloadOh My Darlin CLEMentine
These lava-like blobs transform into a neon light show due to an incredible imaging technique called Cryo Correlative Light and Electron Microscopy (cryo-CLEM). What we see here are two individual cells imaged using a combination of fluorescence microscopy (a form of light microscopy) and electron microscopy to give researchers a detailed view of the structure and organization of these cells.
What am I looking at?
The video begins with a 3D rendering of two kidney cells (orange rounded shapes) created using a form of electron microscopy called Focused Ion Beam Scanning Electron Microscopy (FIB-SEM). Then the surface of the cells are peeled away to show the cells’ interior. Inside, you can see two fluorescently labeled cellular components, the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) in green and mitochondria in purple.
Biology in the Background
Cells are in constant motion. They package and move molecules around, change the shape and position of their organelles, and much more. A new microscopy method developed by researchers at HHMI’s Janelia Research Campus combines two different techniques to provide a detailed snapshot of the innerworkings of active cells.
First, fluorescent tags are attached to specific parts of the cell that are of interest to the researchers, such as the ER and mitochondria in this video. Then, the cells are flash-frozen to stop all the internal cellular processes in their tracks, allowing for clearer and more detailed imaging. Next, the cells are kept frozen while they are imaged using a specialized fluorescent microscope that shines a laser onto the cells and causes the fluorescent tags on the labeled structures to activate, revealing their position and identity in different colors.
After this, the still frozen cells are moved to the scanning electron microscope where FIB-SEM can be performed. This technique allows the researchers to build a detailed 3D map of the cells. Finally, the imaging data from the two different techniques are combined to produce a detailed 3D map of the cells with the structures of interest fluorescently labeled.
The ability to combine detailed 3D mapping with fluorescent labeling will allow researchers to gain a better understanding of the inner workings of the cell, how cells interact, and more. The information gained this way could be the foundation for future research on how our bodies work and how we can treat disease.
The Cos7 cells in this video can grow up to 25 micrometers across, roughly 3 times smaller than the width of a human hair.
Technique
This video was created using cryo-CLEM.
Harald Hess and Eric Betzig , HHMI's Janelia Research Campus