In situ cryo-electron microscopy and tomography of cellular and organismal samples

Parijat Majumder; Peijun Zhang

doi:10.1016/j.sbi.2025.103076

In situ cryo-electron microscopy and tomography of cellular and organismal samples

Curr Opin Struct Biol. 2025 Jun 4:93:103076. doi: 10.1016/j.sbi.2025.103076. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Parijat Majumder¹, Peijun Zhang²

Affiliations

¹ Diamond Light Source, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot, OX11 0DE, UK. Electronic address: parijat.majumder@diamond.ac.uk.
² Diamond Light Source, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot, OX11 0DE, UK; Division of Structural Biology, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7BN, UK. Electronic address: peijun.zhang@strubi.ox.ac.uk.

PMID: 40472449
DOI: 10.1016/j.sbi.2025.103076

Abstract

As cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) and cryo-electron tomography (cryo-ET) continue to advance, the ability to visualize cellular and organismal structures with unprecedented clarity is redefining the landscape of structural biology. Breakthroughs in imaging technology, sample preparation and image processing now enable the detailed elucidation of cellular architecture, macromolecular organization, and dynamic biological processes at sub-nanometer resolution. Recent methodological advances have propelled the field to new frontiers, facilitating the investigation of complex biological questions across scales-from macromolecular complexes to organism-wide structural insights. This review explores rapidly emerging trends, highlights key innovations that are pushing the boundaries of in situ structural biology, and addresses persistent challenges in expanding the applicability of cryo-EM and cryo-ET across diverse biological systems.

Publication types

Review