Spatial and temporal resolution in cryo-electron microscopy—A scope for nano-chemistry

Cryo-electron microscopy has evolved in an established approach to study the structure of bio-colloids. Recent developments in instrumentation and automation, often demanded by life sciences, made cryo-EM a general tool in colloid chemistry. Recently improved instrumentation for vitrification has resulted in reliable and reproducible preparation of specimen in water and other solvents. A dynamic approach, following processes in time is gaining importance and a time resolution up to 1 ms is expected to become general available. With improved instrumentation and automation 3D reconstructions by cryo-EM tomography are becoming routinely accessible. Tomography as such or in conjunction with time resolved microscopy is expected to give new insights in (macro)molecular assembly/disassembly mechanisms and thus become an essential tool in nano-chemistry.