Coherent Diffraction Imaging of Cells at Advanced X-ray Light Sources

The complex cellular structures maintain the biological activities of cells. Revealing the structure of cells at the nanoscale is of great significance for cell biology. Coherent X-ray diffraction imaging (CDI) at advanced X-ray light sources has the advantages of in-situ, high-resolution, and quantitative imaging, and has been widely used in the field of cell imaging. In this review, we introduce the basic principle of CDI, various CDI methods, and the typical achievements in cellular imaging. Combined with frozen-hydrated technique, cryogenic full-field CDI can be used to image cell native structures. Scanning CDI (also called ptychography) extends the imaging field of view and can achieve panoramic structural and functional images of the whole mammalian cells. The single-pulse imaging at X-ray free electron laser has for the first time obtained nanoscale structural images of living cells in experiment, providing unprecedented opportunities for revealing the dynamic activities of living cells at the nanoscale.