| FIM | field ion microscopy; functional independence measure |
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| HREM | high-resolution electron microscopy |
| HRTEM | high-resolution transmission electron microscopy |
| HVTEM | high-voltage transmission electron microscopy |
| IEM | immuno-electron microscopy; inborn error of metabolism |
| immune electron microscopy | Electron microscopy of biological specimens to which specific antibody has been bound. (05 Mar 2000) |
|---|---|
| immunoelectron microscopy | <technique> A technique for using an electron microscope to locate specific antigensin cells or tissue. (09 Oct 1997) |
| interference microscopy | <procedure> Although all image formation depends on interference, the term is generally restricted to systems in which contrast comes from the recombination of a reference beam with light that has been retarded by passing through the object. Because the phase retardation is a consequence of the difference in refractive index between specimen and medium and because the the refractive increment is almost the same for all biological molecules, it is possible to measure the amount of dry mass per unit area of the specimen by measuring the phase retardation. Quantification of the phase retardation is usually done by using a compensator to reduce the bright object to darkness (see Senarmont and Ehrlinghaus compensators). Two major optical systems have been used the Jamin Lebedeff system and the Mach Zehnder system. These instruments are often referred to as interferometers, since they are designed for measuring phase retardation. Although their use has passed out of fashion, it may be that they will be employed more frequently in future in conjunction with image analysing systems. (18 Nov 1997) |
| interference reflection microscopy | <procedure> An optical technique for detecting the topography of the side of a cell in contact with a planar substrate and for providing information on the separation of the plasmalemma from the substrate. Interference between the reflections from the substrate medium interface and the reflections from the plasmalemma medium interface generate the image. (18 Nov 1997) |
| time-lapse microscopy | Microscopy in which the same object (e.g., a cell) is photographed at regular time intervals over several hours. (05 Mar 2000) |
| electron microscopy | <procedure> Any form of microscopy in which the interactions of electrons with the specimens are used to provide information about the final structure of that specimen. In transmission electron microscopy the diffraction and adsorption of electrons as the electron beam passes normally through the specimen is imaged to provide information on the specimen. In scanning electron microscopy an electron beam falls at a nonnormal angle on the specimen and the image is derived from the scattered and reflected electrons. Secondary X-rays generated by the interaction of electrons with various elements in the specimen may be used for electron microprobe analysis. (18 Nov 1997) |
| transmission electron microscopy | <technique> Those forms of electron microscopy in which electrons are transmitted through the object to be imaged, suffering energy loss by diffraction and to a small extent by absorption. Acronym: TEM (18 Nov 1997) |
| Environmental Scanning Electron Microscopy | <technique> Scanning electron microscopy is performed by scanning a focused probe across the surface of the sample to be studied. In the environmental scanning electron microscopy the composition and pressure of the atmosphere around the specimen may be controlled. In favourable cases non-conductive specimens may be examined without coating, and hydrated specimens may be examined with the water still in place. Acronym: ESEM (05 Aug 1998) |
| fluorescence microscopy | <procedure> Any type of microscopy in which intrinsic or applied reagents are visualised. Intrinsic fluorescence is often referred to as auto fluorescence. The applied reagents typically include fluorescently labelled proteins that are reactive with sites in the specimen. In particular, fluorescently labelled antibodies are widely used to detect particular antigens in biological specimens. (18 Nov 1997) |
| light microscopy | <procedure> In contrast to electron microscopy. See: bright field, phase contrast, interference, interference contrast, interference reflection, dark field, confocal and fluorescence microscopy. (18 Nov 1997) |