The Electron Microscopy Platform (COMET) of the Institute for Neurosciences of Montpellier (INM, Université de Montpellier/INSERM) is accessible to the different teams of INM and is also widely open to external laboratories. It has a Transmission Electron microscopy (TEM) and a Scanning Electron Microscopes (SEM).

Users of the platform not only have an access to both EMs equipment, but they are assisted for preparation of their specimens: post-fixation, semi-thin and ultra-thin sections gold sputter coating; critical point, They are also tutored, if needed, during observations, analyses and interpretations.

 

Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM)

 

Preparation:


 Fig1 AMW

 Post-fixation (Osmium), Embedding in epoxy resin

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

fig2 ultramicr 

 

 

Ultramicrotomy : Semithin section (700nm) and ultrathin sections (70nm for 2D observation or 350 nm for tomography)

Equipment: Tecnai FEG 200KV

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fig0 TEM

 

 

Classical (2D) TEM: observation of slices (70nm thick, contrasted Uranyl Acetate + Lead Citrate

TEM Tomography: slices 300-400 nm (possibility to Tilt the grid from +60° to -60°1 image every °).

In development: with serial tomography, a 3D-reconstruction can be performed on structures over 1 µm.

 

 

fig5 ex TEM2
 A                                     B                                      C                                      D                                  E

A: Double plasmic membrane and ribosomes. C. elegans organel. Rémy Pujol.
B and C: Myelin before a Ranvier node (mouse). Rémy Pujol/Anne-Gabrielle Harrus
D: Neuron. Guinea pig cochlear ganglion. Remy Pujol.
E: synapse ribbon and mitochondria. Mouse utricle. Remy Pujol.

 

Scanning electron microscopy (SEM)

Preparation:

 

fig3 SEM

 

 

Critical point, gold sputtering

Equipment: Hitachi S4000

 

 

 

 

 

exemples SEM
A                                       B                                       C                                       D                                       E                                        F

A: silica granules
B: epithelial cells of the umbilical cord artery
C: mimosa pollen
D: vegetal wall
E: drosophila.
F: cultured lung cells that phagocyte Burkolderia cepacia

Contact

Cazevieille Chantal