Living Organisms under an Electron Microscope: the NanoSuit® Method Aiming for Medical and Industrial Applications

Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) has made a remarkable progress and is an essential tool for observing biological materials at microscopic level. However, various complex procedures have precluded observation of living organisms to date. Our recent discovery of a method coined the "NanoSuit (R)" is presented by which living organisms can be observed in a simple procedure by an SEM, which acts as a barrier to the passage of gases and liquids and thus protects the organism. Based on this discovery, we invented the coating method by the "biomimetic extracellular substances (ECS)" composed of biocompatible polymers for the organism which lack the natural ECS. The new "NanoSuit (R)" methods will be useful for medical and industrial applications.