Fig. 2. Three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction of exosome serial sections by focused ion beam (serial block face)-SEM (FIB-SEM). The FIB-SEM setup is a combination of ion milling (by gallium ions) and SEM imaging (by backscattered electrons) in the same instrument. The sections are cut automatically using the gallium ion beam and then images of the surface block face are prepared using the backscattered electron beam. Serial sections are easy to align for 3D reconstruction because of automatic sectioning and imaging without loss of samples. The 3D structures are reconstructed using the IMOD software. Each exosome can be represented as a different color.

Applied Microscopy 2017;47:171-5

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