Cell positioning for Cryo-ET

Unrivalled performances

• Higher yield of amenable cells for Cryo-ET experiments
• Precise cell positioning within EM grid meshes
• Multiple and standardized cell models
• Undamaged surface thanks to maskless photopatterning

Higher yield of amenable cells for your Cryo-ET experiments

Cryo-ET is a powerful tool for imaging complex structure under close-to-life conditions. However, cell samples need some specific requirements to be imaged. One obvious advantage of EM grids micropatterning is the higher number of cells per grid that are amenable for further observation which makes the results of experiments more efficient. Thus, EM grids are not overcrowded since cells only adhere on the micropatterned area. It keeps cell density to a minimum, which increases the quality of the vitrification, while maximizing the number of cells in the mesh.

Precise cell positioning within EM grid mesh

Micropatterning allows flexible cell positioning, which is an asset for Cryo-ET by enabling to place the cells in the center of grid squares. It makes them perfectly accessible for the focused ion beam milling and imaging.

Methods in Microbiology. Léa Swistak et al, 2020

Multiple shapes and standardized cells models

Primo allows you to choose the shape you want for your cells, and is very useful to target specific internal elements when correlative imaging approaches proves to be challenging. So, it appears as a perfect tool for conducting homogeneous and standardized Cryo-EM experiments.

By controlling the available adhesive surface and cell adhesion on EM grids, we can modulate the cell location and spreading to better study cell-cell junctions. The optimize spreading also allows here to skip the FIB milling step, easing the Cryo-ET process.

Undamaged surface thanks to maskless photopatterning

As a maskless and contactless photopatterning system, PRIMO can project your micropatterns in UV light on the surface of EM grids without compromising their integrity.