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Electron holographic observation for biological specimens: electron holography of bio‐specimens
Author(s) -
AOYAMA K.,
RU Q.
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
journal of microscopy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.569
H-Index - 111
eISSN - 1365-2818
pISSN - 0022-2720
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-2818.1996.133413.x
Subject(s) - electron holography , holography , biological specimen , electron , optics , protein filament , transmission electron microscopy , materials science , electron microscope , biological materials , resolution (logic) , physics , biological system , computer science , biology , artificial intelligence , quantum mechanics , composite material
Electron holography has been applied to the observation of biological filaments. The technique has some advantages over conventional imaging for observing weak‐phase objects such as small unstained biological structures. To avoid artificial structural transformation of the sample owing to the interaction with the supporting film, a holey carbon film was used to support the filaments. A tobacco mosaic virus bridged over a hole was observed as a cylindrical shape; the contrast distribution across the filament represents its actual shape, which is difficult to obtain with conventional transmission electron microscopy. A number of technical limitations which at present prevent high‐resolution structure analysis of biological macromolecules by electron holography are discussed in this report.