A thin polymer membrane 'NanoSuit' allows living organisms to survive in the harsh conditions of electron microscopy

Takahiko Hariyama; Kana Sakaida; Haruko Matsumoto; Takumi Tsutsui; Hiroshi Suzuki; Hideya Kawasaki; Masatsugu Shimomura; Yasuharu Takaku

doi:10.1117/12.2260812

17 April 2017 A thin polymer membrane 'NanoSuit' allows living organisms to survive in the harsh conditions of electron microscopy

Takahiko Hariyama, Kana Sakaida, Haruko Matsumoto, Takumi Tsutsui, Hiroshi Suzuki, Hideya Kawasaki, Masatsugu Shimomura, Yasuharu Takaku

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 10162, Bioinspiration, Biomimetics, and Bioreplication 2017; 101620J (2017) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2260812
Event: SPIE Smart Structures and Materials + Nondestructive Evaluation and Health Monitoring, 2017, Portland, Oregon, United States

Abstract

We present a new method to observe living organisms by a common scanning electron microscope (SEM) including a field emission SEM. A simple surface modification to extracellular substances by electron beams or plasmas can equip some multicellular organisms with a thin extra layer, coined the “ NanoSuit(R)”, and hence can keep them alive under the high vacuum (10^-3-10^-7 Pa) conditions. The “NanoSuit(R)” acts as a flexible ‘Nano-spacesuit’ barrier to the passage of gases and liquids and thus protects the organism. Using this method, it was found that the surface fine structure of living organisms is very different from that of traditionally treated samples, and the active movements of living animals are also observed in an SEM. We next invented the coating method by the “biomimetic NanoSuit” based on artificial substance for the organism which lack the natural extracellular substances. After observation of living organisms by an SEM, despite the high vacuum it is possible to rear many of them subsequently in normal culture conditions. In addition to this method, it is now available to observe human tissues using new surface shield enhancer NanoSuit(R). Those new “ NanoSuit(R)” methods will be useful for numerous applications, particularly in the life sciences.

Conference Presentation

Citation Download Citation

Takahiko Hariyama, Kana Sakaida, Haruko Matsumoto, Takumi Tsutsui, Hiroshi Suzuki, Hideya Kawasaki, Masatsugu Shimomura, and Yasuharu Takaku "A thin polymer membrane 'NanoSuit' allows living organisms to survive in the harsh conditions of electron microscopy", Proc. SPIE 10162, Bioinspiration, Biomimetics, and Bioreplication 2017, 101620J (17 April 2017); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2260812

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