Soft-X-ray damage to biological samples

  1. H. FUJISAKI1,
  2. S. TAKAHASHI2,
  3. H. OHZEKI2,
  4. K. SUGISAKI2,
  5. H. KONDO1,
  6. H. NAGATA1,
  7. H. KATO3,
  8. S. ISHIWATA3

Article first published online: 31 OCT 2003

DOI: 10.1046/j.1365-2818.1996.130412.x

Issue

Journal of Microscopy

Journal of Microscopy

Volume 182, Issue 2, pages 79–83, May 1996

Additional Information

How to Cite

FUJISAKI, H., TAKAHASHI, S., OHZEKI, H., SUGISAKI, K., KONDO, H., NAGATA, H., KATO, H. and ISHIWATA, S. (1996), Soft-X-ray damage to biological samples. Journal of Microscopy, 182: 79–83. doi: 10.1046/j.1365-2818.1996.130412.x

Author Information

  1. 1

    Nikon Corporation, Tsukuba Research Laboratory, 5-9-1 Tokodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 300-26, Japan,

  2. 2

    Nikon Corporation, New Business Development Department, 1-6-3 Nishi-Ohi, Shinagawa, Tokyo 140, Japan,

  3. 3

    Waseda University, Department of Physics, School of Science and Engineering, 3-4-1 Okubo, Shinjuku, Tokyo 169, Japan

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 31 OCT 2003
  2. Article first published online: 31 OCT 2003

SEARCH

SEARCH BY CITATION

ARTICLE TOOLS

Get PDF (428K)

Keywords:

  • X-ray;
  • soft X-ray;
  • X-ray damage;
  • soft-X-ray damage;
  • X-ray microscope;
  • water window;
  • yeast;
  • myofibril

X-ray damage to biological samples was investigated in the wavelength region of 2.7–5 nm, which overlaps the so-called ‘water window’, the wavelength range of 2.4–4.3 nm usually used in X-ray microscopy. Yeast cells and myofibrils were chosen as representatives of whole cell samples and motile protein systems, respectively. The samples were exposed to X-rays using an apparatus composed mainly of a laser-plasma X-ray source, a Wolter mirror condenser, and a sample cell. The yeast cells lost their dye exclusion ability when the X-ray flux was higher than 1 × 106 photons μm−2, while the myofibrils lost contractility when the X-ray flux was higher than 4 × 105 photons μm−2. These X-ray fluxes are lower than the flux required for the X-ray microscope observation of biological samples at a resolution higher than that of light microscopes.

Get PDF (428K)