The Thermo Scientific Volumescope 2 Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) is our state-of-the-art serial block-face imaging system. Keep control of experiments with easy to use technology and protect a wide range of possible samples with tried and tested solutions for every acquisition step.

Improving large-volume SEM by combining serial block-face imaging with multi-energy deconvolution

Unraveling the complex 3D architecture of cells and tissues in their natural context is crucial for structure-function correlation in biological systems and soft materials. Serial block-face SEM (SBF-SEM) combines in situ sectioning and imaging of plastic-embedded tissue blocks within the SEM vacuum chamber for automated, 3D reconstruction of large tissue volumes. Axial resolution was once limited by the minimum section thickness, but truly isotropic resolution is now possible with the addition of multi-energy deconvolution.

Following in situ sectioning of the block-face using a diamond knife, the freshly exposed tissue is imaged several times using increasing accelerating voltages. These images are subsequently used in a deconvolution algorithm to derive several optical subsurface layers, forming a 3D subset. By repeating this cycle, the Volumescope 2 SEM offers isotropic datasets with 10 nm Z-resolution.