Cryo EM

Oxford Instruments NanoAnalysis offers a range of TEM and SEM EDS systems with large area detectors and windowless designs that make them ideal for rapid imaging and analysis of frozen-hydrated and cryo-EM samples without damaging the sample.

• Extreme light element sensitivity, particularly for biological samples
• Operation at <2kV for optimum resolution in element maps (SEM)
• Sensitivity to low count rates, ideal for low-dose imaging of cryo samples
• Fast data collection and processing for real-time results
• Low noise electronics for enhanced low energy x-ray detection
• Predictive and reactive drift correction routines for accurate mapping
• AZtec software combines unrivalled speed and accuracy of results for routine analysis, with the flexibility and power required for applications that push the frontiers of the EDS technique

 

Cryo-SEM and EDS of a plunge frozen and freeze-fractured wheat seed, coated with gold and imaged at 15kV in an SEM using an X-MaxN 150. These maps took 12 minutes to collect and are a single frame image (thus reducing the beam dose and damage to the sample), demonstrating that distinct elemental localisations can be collected rapidly with biological samples using our large area detectors. In particular, phosphorus, magnesium, and potassium maps show distinct localisation to aleurone cells in the seed. 

*Samples courtesy of Jean Devonshire from Rothampsted Research

*Samples courtesy of Jean Devonshire from Rothampsted Research

 

Cryo-SEM and EDS of a delicate frozen-hydrated (gold-coated) Arabidopsis thaliana trichome showing distinctive distribution of calcium, silicone, manganese, and phosphorus. Data collected at 15kV using an X-maxN 150 in 10 minutes (2 frames in total collected).