Title: Application of 3D electron microscopy in neuroscience research

Speaker: Ji Young Mun, Ph.D., Department of Structure & Function of Neural Network, Korea Brain Research Institute (Host : Jinsoo Seo)

Time: 16:00, November 21 (Wed), 2018
        

Venue: Room 114, Building E4, DGIST

Abstract : There is a global trend of increase in the demand for three-dimensional electron microscopy based on molecular resolution. Investigations on cellular structure change and related functional studies are necessary to analyze biological processes in neuroscience research. Herein, currently available 3D reconstruction techniques of electron microscopes (surface block face- SEM, Large filed SEM based on Automated Tape collecting Ultra-Microtome, Serial section TEM, Electron Tomography) were used to study detailed structure of cellular organelles including mitochondria, autophagy, proteasome, and synapse. Each technique has different advantage and disadvantage. Preparation of over hundreds or thousands serial thin sections of the biological samples has been a very tricky work that only a few skilled technologists have mastered. These thin sections have been collected on fragile formvar film coated one-hole TEM grids. If the film breaks on one gird, serial imaging and volume reconstruction are not available. The Automatic tape collecting ultra-Microtome (ATUM) is currently the most advanced technique to automate the collection of thousands serial thin sections to continuous reel of tape. The beauty of this technique is the sections can be stored and large area can be available, compared to serial block face scanning electron microscopy. But it has difficulty to get thousands of sections without any wrinkle in ATUM and to get images without any charging effect in SEM. In this presentation, each technique will be compared for study of cellular structures in neuroscience research.

Person in charge : Sora Lee

Contact: srlee@dgist.ac.kr, 053)785-6102