Molecular Electron Microscopy for Biology and Medicine : Overview

Electron Microscopy can now determine the structure of a biological macromolecule at a resolution that can resolve atoms. This technological development has allowed concerted efforts to obtain structural information by X-ray crystallography, NMR and other probe microscopes. These concerted approaches are used to determine the structures of multi-complexes of proteins, DNA, RNA and other biological macromolecules. However, such concerted approaches are still short to determine whole structures of more macroscopic organella or tissues. On the other hand, rapidly improving electron tomography offers a means to determine whole structures of more macroscopic organella or tissues, although the resolution of the determined structures is not high enough to distinguish molecules. This article reviews and discusses how electron microscopy may determine macroscopic structures at molecular level to aid biology and medicine