Electron Microscopy Unit - Techniques
Our techniques of immunolabeling in electron microscopy are based on the use of secondary antibodies conjugated with nanometer sized gold particles. The visualization of the colloidal gold on a sample structure marks the occurred antibody-antigen reaction resolving the ultrastructural immunolocalization of the molecular target and giving a possible indication of its function.
It is possible to use this method on law dimension live samples which can be visualized by TEM negative staining; on ultrathin sections of acrylic resin embedded samples (post-embedding method) or on fixed samples, which can be embedded in epoxy resin after the immunoreaction (pre-embedding method), for both intra- and extra-cellular antigen localization by TEM; on surface antigen of carbonated samples that can be visualized by back-scattered electron signal reveled by SEM.