KENBIKYO Vol.51▶No.1 2016
â– Lectures

Volta Phase Contrast Cryo-Transmission Electron Microscopy

Yoshiyuki Fukuda, Radostin Danev and Wolfgang Baumeister

Department of Molecular Structural Biology, Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry

Abstract: Cryo transmission electron microscopy is a mean to visualize ultrastructure of biological specimen under close-to-physiological state. However, it is difficult to acquire images with enough contrast. Although the Zernike phase contrast method is able to improve image contrast, fringe generation surround the structure is pointed out that makes structural interpretation difficult. Recently, a new phase contrast method named as Volta phase contrast method has been developed. This Volta phase contrast method has no fringe generation in acquired images. In the text, we introduce the Volta phase contrast method.

Key words: Volta phase plate, phase contrast, cryo-transmission electron microscopy, electron cryo-tomography