Basic Sciences

The mandate of the Electron Microscopy facility is to promote, support and initiate research and training in the applications of transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The facility boasts of a JEOL JEM 1400Plus TEM that works at 80-120 kV with 0.2 nm resolution and magnification up to x12,00,000, which is suitable for biological, polymer, nanogold and material science applications. The system has been commissioned along with 3-D Tomography, EDS and STEM.

The facility carries out TEM sample preparation including fixation, resin block making (solid tissues, monolayer cell cultures, single cell suspension etc), semi-thin sectioning followed by ultrathin sectioning, staining, scanning and imaging. During 2017, the facility processed EM samples for 11 working groups from ACTREC and 4 working groups from BARC/ Mumbai Colleges. In all, 155 tissue and monolayer cell culture specimens were prepared for araldite/ epon block making, 105 specimens for semi-thin sectioning, 117 specimens for ultrathin sectioning. Moreover, 234 grids were contrasted with uranyl acetate and lead citrate, scanned under EM and over 7000 microphotographs were captured at 120 kV. Besides this, the facility also processed 38 samples for negative staining.

Further quantitative analysis of EM images was done using iTEM software for eight working groups. Interpretation of the results on the basis of ultrastructural observations and quantitative analysis was done for all the users. Three-day EM training was provided to two clinicians from TMH. EM demonstration was also provided during facility visits from national/ international visitors.