KENBIKYO Vol.53▶No.1 2018
■Feature Articles: A New Era of Electron Cryo-Microscopy for Life Science

Practical Techniques of Cryo-electron Tomography

Toshiyuki Oda

Abstract: Cryo-electron tomography is a powerful method to visualize the three-dimensional structures of macromolecular complexes and cellular organelles in situ. Compared with the single particle analysis, however, cryo-electron tomography appears to be relatively unpopular probably due to the seemingly complicated methodology. In this review, I will give an overview of the practical aspects of the cryo-electron tomography as well as the recent progress in this field of research.

Key words: Cryo-electron microscopy, tomography, cilia and flagella, three-dimensional structural analysis