Multiplying cryo-electron tomography sample yield

Sample preparation for cryo-ET often requires the use of a focused ion beam (FIB) to thin down the microns-thick vitrified cell into a 150-300 nm thick section called a lamella. The complexity of the conventional workflow used to generate them compromises its throughput and success rate.

In this application note, we demonstrate how the integration of the PRIMO Micropatterning system (Alveole), the METEOR in-chamber cryo-fluorescence microscope (Delmic) and the CERES Ice Shield (Delmic) into the conventional workflow can address all these challenges. We showcase the impact of the upgraded workflow on in-situ correlative cryo-FIB milling of human RPE-1 cells.