Volume-CLEM: A method for correlative light and electron microscopy in three dimensions

Abstract

Generation of three-dimensional (3D) data sets from serial sections of tissues imaged by light microscopy (LM) allows identification of rare structures by morphology or fluorescent labeling. Here, we demonstrate a workflow for correlative LM and electron microscopy (EM) from 3D LM to 3D EM, using the same sectioned material for both methods consecutively. The new approach is easy to reproduce in routine EM laboratories and applicable to a wide range of organs and research questions.