Electron Microscopy

我们使用常规的化学固定、脱水、包埋和染色方法对几个基本的生物学过程进行了研究，包括膜融合、宏观自噬和运动。我们与美国国立卫生研究院的多个研究所建立了许多合作项目。例如，我们用NIA研究了NAD前体NAM的神经保护机制，以及它对暴露在氧化应激下的神经元自噬系统的影响；用NIDCR研究了果蝇发育过程中消化系统结构中粘蛋白O连接的糖基化；用NHLBI研究了果蝇细胞系线粒体选择性降解的过程。 我们还与约翰霍普金斯大学医学院的一个小组合作，使用最有用和最强大的冷冻固定方法-高压冷冻/冷冻替代方法，研究果蝇肌动蛋白细胞骨架的动态重排。这一发现发表在五月份的《发育细胞》杂志上。 此外，利用电子显微镜技术，包括负染色法，完成了相当多的涉及纳米颗粒的表征和药物传递机制的项目。NIBIB、NIDDK和NINDS IRPS内的调查人员发起了大多数这些项目。

We have used conventional chemical fixation, dehydration, embedding and staining procedures to carry out studies on several fundamental biological processes, including membrane fusion, macroautophagy, and motility. We established a number of collaborative projects with multiple institutes across NIH. For example, with NIA we performed studies on the neuroprotective mechanism of NAM, the NAD+ precursor, and its effects on the autophagy-system in neurons exposed to oxidative stress; with NIDCR we examined mucin-type O-linked glycosylation in the structures of digestive system during development in Drosophila; and with NHLBI we investigated the process of selective degradation of mitochondria by using Drosophila cell lines. We also collaborated with a group in The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine to use a high-pressure freezing/freeze-substitution method, the most useful and powerful cryofixation method, to study dynamic rearrangements of the actin cytoskeleton in Drosophila. The findings were published in the May issue of Developmental Cell. In addition, quite a few projects involving the characterization of nanoparticles and drug delivery mechanisms were performed by using electron microscopy techniques, including negative staining methods. Investigators within the IRPs of NIBIB, NIDDK and NINDS initiated most of these projects.