Automated Data Collection for Serial Section EM

The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla CA

Investigators

Abstract

This award supports the design, development and implementation of a software application to automate (1) the task of previewing a series of transmission electron microscopy (TEM) thin sections at lower magnifications to identify a suitable region of interest for reconstruction, and (2) the process of acquiring final high-resolution images from the chosen area at high magnification. To achieve this goal, a robotic grid handling system will be combined with an automated imaging and targeting system to develop an application that will be capable of handling a series of 96 grids at a time. The performance of the overall system will be evaluated using a 3D phantom constructed specifically for this purpose. The utility of the system will be demonstrated using serial sections of pancreatic beta cells. The technology developed for this project will have an impact on any project requiring reconstructions from serial sections. In particular, automation will be absolutely critical to projects proposed for developing whole cell atlases at nanoscale resolutions. The availability of high-resolution cellular atlases will have a lasting impact on the development of biological teaching materials for all levels. Although a cell biological project has been chosen as the primary driver of this technology development effort, the system once it is in place is also likely to have a significant impact on the neurosciences, where TEM serial reconstruction is used for tracking and visualization of structures through large volumes of dendritic fields.