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cryo-electron microscopy

imaging technique

Quick Summary

Cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) is an imaging technique that allows scientists to visualize samples too small to be seen with a light microscope. It uses electron beams, which have much smaller wavelengths than visible light, providing higher resolving power. In cryo-EM, samples are rapidly frozen, preserving their structure in a thin layer of ice. This process allows for the imaging of biological molecules and structures at near-atomic resolution without the need for staining or fixing, which can alter the sample. Images are produced by passing an electron beam through the frozen sample, with scattered electrons forming a visual representation of the specimen's interior structure.12

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