Challenge

Biological tissue samples are either too awkward or too soft to investigate using imaging techniques.

Usually, imaging is limited to optical microscopes. By freezing the sample and observing in a cryogenic-SEM and cryo-TEM, the nano-scale features are observable as if the sample is a conductive solid, and thin sections on a 100nm scale are possible.

But when testing if a drug is activated by the expected proteins, or reacting in a certain area of a lipid, investigation by frozen images is not enough.

Solution

Using a combination of the dynamic and extremely high resolution HS-AFM, and the cryo-SEM, the nano-scale processes occurring within lipid membranes can be observed by tagging the desired proteins with tiny metallic particles, allowing their location and processes to be observed and interpreted in a very visual way.

By sectioning a sample and using cryo-TEM, a 3D model can be produced, allowing our experts to draw crystal clear conclusions about the exact mechanisms of the biochemical reactions occurring.

Zoom in of the HS-AFM image of a DNA sample where bright spots indicate tagged proteins, with such high resolution that individual strands of DNA are resolved at the nanoscale
Image
Courtesy of Dr O. Payton & Dr L. Picco

Impact

These results allow for cutting edge research techniques to feed into the medical and pharmaceutical industries, adding a whole new dimension to drug testing, and understanding the biochemical processes of proteins and lipids.