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The Electron Microscopy Platform (EMP) is a central facility (CIC bioGUNE Structural Biology Platform) offering access to transmission electron microscopes (TEM/cryo-TEM) to the CIC bioGUNE Structural Biology Unit researchers. The EMP instrumentation is also available to researchers from outside CIC bioGUNE.
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Transmission Electron Microscopes use a fine beam of electrons to look at the internal structure of a sample if the specimen is thin enough (less than about 0.1 micrometer). Amplitude and phase contrast contribute to the formation of TEM images of non-crystalline specimens (e.g. Biological and Polymers), while phase contrast and diffraction contrast are the most important factors in image formation in crystalline specimens. In the TEM the transmitted beam also can be analysed by Electron Energy Loss Spectroscopy (EELS) to give compositional and electronic state information.
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The Electron Microscopy facility provides two cryo transmission electron microscopes, used by both life science and materials science users. The auxiliary equipment for imaging biological samples includes negative staining, shadowing/coating, darkroom and cryo-fixation facilities. The technique for imaging biological samples at low temperature, i.e., cryo-electron microscopy, is well suited for structural studies of biological material in conditions where their native state is well preserved.
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The cryo-TEMs are a JEOL JEM-2200FS Field Emission TEM with a digital camera and an in-column energy filter (Omega Filter - electron energy loss spectrometer), and a JEOL JEM-1230 thermionic emission TEM with a digital camera. The energy filter included in the JEM-2200FS electron microscope, a technologically sophisticated apparatus, will allow the observation of large samples (suited for tomography technique). Energy filtered images (zero-loss imaging, elemental mapping) and Electron Energy Loss Spectras (EELS) can also be obtained with the aid of the energy filter included in the JEM-2200FS electron microscope.
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The JEM-1230 was installed in 2006 and the JEM-2200FS in 2007.
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[ For an expanded overview of CIC bioGUNE Electron Microscopy Platform, a pdf document is available for viewing: pdf ]
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