Correlative STED super-resolution light and electron microscopy on resin sections

Abstract

Correlative light and electron microscopy approaches can reveal the localisation of specific proteins while providing detailed information on the cellular context, thereby combining the strengths of both imaging modalities. The major challenge in combining fluorescence microscopy with electron microscopy is the different sample preparation requirements necessary for obtaining high quality data from both modalities. To overcome this limitation, we combined conventional sample preparation protocols for electron microscopy with post-embedding labelling on ultra-thin sections using antibodies and other specific ligands. We successfully employed STED super-resolution microscopy to image the subcellular distribution of several targets in various specimen including E. coli, T. brucei, S. cerevisiae, human cancer cells and bovine sperm. Thus, we present widely applicable methods facilitating the use of antibodies for correlative super-resolution light and electron microscopy of post-embedding labelled targets.