The behavior of cells and molecules are elusive. The minute particles in the images fail to be captured even under high resolution. With technological constraints in biomedical imaging, comprehending the cellular and molecular behavior becomes complex.
An assistant professor in the Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute, Deborah Kelly has now formulated a novel technology platform to scrutinize the cellular and molecular structures and behavior within its compatible liquid environment.
The process is initiated with the isolation of biological specimens in a flowing, liquid environment followed by embedding the specimens in the high-vacuum system of a transmission electron microscope (TEM). The TEM liquid-flow holder by Protochips enfolds biological samples between two tightly sealed semiconductor microchips. A microfluidic device is created, which is smaller than a TicTac. Mounted on an EM specimen holder, this device facilitates the thorough follow of liquid in the holder. The special affinity biofilm developed by Kelly binds on the chips’ surface to facilitate rapid capture of cells and molecules with increased specificity. With this system, the researchers can observe biological processes at an exceptional resolution. The affinity capture device combined with high-resolution TEM allows convenient cellular and molecular imaging with high spatial resolutions.
The research is being presented in the February issue of RSC Advances in the article entitled ‘The development of affinity capture devices - a nanoscale purification platform for biological in situ transmission electron microscopy’ by Madeline Dukes, an applications scientist at Protochips, Justin Tanner, a postdoctoral associate at the Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute, biomedical engineering student at the University of Virginia, Katherine Degen and the corresponding author Kelly.