Epon Post Embedding Correlative Light and Electron Microscopy

Summary

We present a detailed protocol for Epon post-embedding correlative light and electron microscopy using a fluorescent protein called mScarlet. This method can maintain the fluorescence and the ultrastructure simultaneously. This technique is amenable to a wide variety of biological applications.

Abstract

Correlative light and electron microscopy (CLEM) is a comprehensive microscopy that combines the localization information provided by fluorescence microscopy (FM) and the context of cellular ultrastructure acquired by electron microscopy (EM). CLEM is a trade-off between fluorescence and ultrastructure, and usually, ultrastructure compromises fluorescence. Compared with other hydrophilic embedding resins, such as glycidyl methacrylate, HM20, or K4M, Epon is superior in ultrastructure preservation and sectioning properties. Previously, we had demonstrated that mEosEM can survive osmium tetroxide fixation and Epon embedding. Using mEosEM, we achieved, for the first time, Epon post embedding CLEM, which maintains the fluorescence and the ultrastructure simultaneously. Here, we provide step-by-step details about the EM sample preparation, the FM imaging, the EM imaging, and the image alignment. We also improve the procedures for identifying the same cell imaged by FM imaging during the EM imaging and detail the registration between the FM and EM images. We believe one can easily achieve Epon post embedding correlative light and electron microscopy following this new protocol in traditional EM facilities.

Introduction

Fluorescence microscopy (FM) can be used to obtain the localization and distribution of the target protein. However, the context that surrounds the target protein is lost, which is crucial for investigating the target protein thoroughly. Electron microscopy (EM) has the highest imaging resolution, providing several subcellular details. Nevertheless, EM lacks target labeling. By accurately merging the fluorescence image taken by FM with the gray image acquired by EM, correlative light and electron microscopy (CLEM) can combine the information obtained by these two imaging modes^1,2,3....

Protocol

Animal husbandry and experiments were approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee of Fujian Medical University Medical Center. The step-by-step workflow of the current protocol is shown in Figure 1.

1. Sample preparation

1. Mouse brain
   1. Purchase transgenic mice (see Table of Materials) and oligonucleotide primers (see Table of Materials) to genotype these mice.
   2. Perfus.......

Discussion

The protocol presented here is a versatile imaging method, which can combine the localization information of the target protein from light microscopy (LM) and the context surrounding the target protein from electron microscopy (EM)⁶. With the limitations of current fluorescent proteins, the widely used method is pre embedding correlative light and electron microscopy (CLEM), which means the LM imaging is done before the EM sample preparation. Almost all existing fluorescent proteins can be examine.......

Materials

Name	Company	Catalog Number	Comments
0.2 M Phosphate Buffer (PB)			NaH2PO4 · 2H2O+Na2HPO4 · 12H2O
0.2 M Tris-Cl (pH 8.5)	Shanghai yuanye Bio-Technology	R26284
25% Glutaraldehyde (GA)	Alfa Aesar	A17876	Hazardous chemical
Abbelight 3D	Nanolnsights
Acetone	SCR	10000418
Ammonium hydroxide	J&K Scientific	335213
BioPhotometer D30	eppendorf
Cleaning buffer of cover glasses			50 mL Ammonium hydroxide, 50 mL Hydrogen peroxide, 250 mL H2O
Coverglass	Warner	64-0715
DABCO	Sigma	290734	Hazardous chemical
DDSA	SPI company	GS02827	Hazardous chemical
Desktop centrifuge	WIGGENS	MINICEN 10E
Diamond knife	DiATOME	MX6353
DMP-30	SPI company	GS02823	Hazardous chemical
DNA transfection reagent	Thermo Fisher	2696953	Lipofectamine 3000 Transfection Kit
Epon 812	SPI company	GS02659	Hazardous chemical
Ethanol	SCR	10009218
Fiji image J	National Institutes of Health
Fixative solution			4% PFA+0.25% GA+0.02 M PB
Formvar	Sigma	9823
Glycerol	SCR	10010618
Gold nanoparticles	Corpuscular	790120-010
Gradient resin			Acetone to resin 3:1, 1:1, 1:3
Hydrofluoric acid	SCR	10011118
Hydrogen peroxide	SCR	10011218
ICY (https://icy.bioimageanalysis.org/about/)			Easy CLEMv0 Plugin
Imaging chamber	Thermo Fisher	A7816
Large gelatin capsules	Electron Microscopy Sciences	70117
Mounting buffer			Mowiol 4-88, Glycerol, 0.2 M Tris-Cl (pH 8.5), DABCO
Mowiol 4-88	Sigma	9002-89-5
Na2HPO4 ž12H2O	SCR	10020318
NaH2PO4 ž2H2O	SCR	20040718
NMA	SPI company	GS02828	Hazardous chemical
Oligonucleotide primers	Takara Biomedical Technology (Beijing)		Three oligonucleotides primers were used to detect Vglut2-ires-Cre and wild-type simultaneously. The primers 5,-ATCGACCGGTAATGCAGGCAA-3, and 5,-CGGTACCACCAAATCTTACGG-3, aimed to detect Vglut2-ires-Cre. The primers  5,-CGGTACCACCAAATCTTACGG-3, and 5,-CATGGTCTGTTTTGAATTCAG-3, aimed to detect wild-type.
Oscillating microtome	Leica	VT1000S
Osmium tetroxide	SCR	L01210302	Hazardous chemical
OsO4 solution			1% Osmium tetroxide+1.5% K4Fe (CN)6·3H2O
Parafilm	Amcor	PM-996
Paraformaldehyde (PFA)	SCR	80096618	Hazardous chemical
Perfusion buffer			4% PFA+0.1 M PB
Pioloform	Sigma	63148-65-2	Hazardous chemical
Poly-L-lysine	Sigma	25986-63-0
Potassium ferrocyanide (K4Fe (CN)6·3H2O)	SCR	10016818
Scalpel blades	Merck	S2771
Scalpel handles	Merck	S2896-1EA
Stereomicroscope	OLYMPUS	MVX10
Transgenic mice	The Jackson Laboratory		Vglut2-ires-Cre mice (strain: 129S6/SvEvTac) were housed in standard conditions (25 °C, a 12 h light/dark cycle, with water and food given ad libitum. Male and Female mice were used at 2–3 months old, weight range 20-30 g.
Transmission electron microscope (TEM)	FEI		TECNAL G2
UA solution (2% UA)			Aqueous solution
Ultramicrotome	Leica	LEICA EM UC6
Uranyl acetate (UA)	TED PELLA	19481	Hazardous chemical