Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM)

The transmission electron microscope (TEM) is used to visualize small cell compartments. With this tool it is possible to observe changes in stressed cell organelles which are involved in photosynthesis. This is an important contribution to the physiological and biochemical research done by this institute.

One interest of our research is the 3D reconstruction of cell organelles and their ultrastructural integrity which is based on series of ultrathin sections. With this emerging method it is possible to reconstruct ultrastructural changes of cell organelles which are caused by stress or diurnal changes. With this powerful tool it is also possible to determine areas and volumes of single structures. Additionally, our research team is using histo- and cytohistochemical methods in order to detect subcellular changes of certain metabolites which play important roles in the antioxidative defense of plants (e.g. ascorbate, glutathione, etc.). These investigations are aimed to collect data about differences in the antioxidative defense mechanisms between pathogen infected and "healthy" plants which will help to develop new defense strategies for agricultural use in the future.

At the moment our research team is cooperating with the Institute of Biochemistry, TU-Graz (G. Daum). Our goals are the ultrastructural investigation and registration of various yeast fractions and the 3D reconstruction of certain cell organelles based on ultrathin sections.

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Information about the sample preparation for the TEM

Information about the technical equipment

From the living sample to the ultrastructure

Technical equipment

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Team

Video publication

3D Animation

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Last update: 08.11.2011

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