Q&A: Array tomography

Abstract

Array tomography encompasses light and electron microscopy modalities that offer unparalleled opportunities to explore three-dimensional cellular architectures in extremely fine structural and molecular detail. Fluorescence array tomography achieves much higher resolution and molecular multiplexing than most other fluorescence microscopy methods, while electron array tomography can capture three-dimensional ultrastructure much more easily and rapidly than traditional serial-section electron microscopy methods. A correlative fluorescence/electron microscopy mode of array tomography furthermore offers a unique capacity to merge the molecular discrimination strengths of multichannel fluorescence microscopy with the ultrastructural imaging strengths of electron microscopy. This essay samples the first decade of array tomography, highlighting applications in neuroscience.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (10.1186/s12915-018-0560-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Single-cell transcriptomic evidence for dense intracortical neuropeptide networks

“…In addition, many new tools more specific to neuropeptide signaling are emerging. Super-resolution 3D immunohistologies like array tomography (Smith, 2018) and 3D single-molecule methods (Jia et al, 2014; von Diezmann et al, 2017) will enable imaging of dense-core vesicle localization and neuropeptide contents in type-specific network anatomical context. Genetically encoded fluorescent dense-core vesicle cargos will allow real-time detection of neuropeptide secretion (Ding et al, 2019), while genetically encoded sensors of extracellular GPCR ligands (Patriarchi et al, 2018; Sun et al, 2018), GPCR activation (Haider et al, 2019; Hill and Watson, 2018; Livingston et al, 2018; Ratnayake et al, 2017; Stoeber et al, 2018), G-protein mobilization (Ratnayake et al, 2017), cAMP concentration (Hackley et al, 2018; Ma et al, 2018), protein kinase activation (Chen et al, 2014) and protein phosphorylation (Haider et al, 2019) will enable fine dissection of NP dynamics and NP-GPCR signal transduction events (Spangler and Bruchas, 2017).…”

Peculiar protrusions along tanycyte processes face diverse neural and nonneural cell types in the hypothalamic parenchyma

“…The particularity of tanycyte endfeet analysis using electron microscopy is that they are rather large to be observed by a classical transmission electron microscopy (TEM) method for the volume acquisitions. Array tomography approach (Smith, 2018) consequently allowed us both to cover the large surface and make an efficient screening for the desired…”

Correlative cathodoluminescence electron microscopy bioimaging: towards single protein labelling with ultrastructural context

“…wrinkles) can ruin the whole data set. 141 While array tomography is offering a potential also in CL bioimaging, 142 CL has not been combined with it yet. Another technique, where CL could be employed is serial block-face electron microscopy, where the slicing is performed with an integrated ultramicrotome directly in the electron microscope.…”