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See the unseen, Slice by slice

a cutting-edge approach to volume electron microscopy

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katana microtome

Introducing the katana microtome by ConnectomX, the revolutionising serial block-face imaging solution that transforms any SEM into a volume SEM.

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Unleashing the next dimension in electron microscopy

Universal compatibility

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Seamlessly integrates with any SEM that has a stage-to-pole piece distance greater than 56 mm. That is 99% of all contemporary FEG SEMs.

Precision and stability

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Engineered to achieve maximum stiffness alongside nanometre resolution, reliable for extensive imaging periods.

Plug and play

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A simple installation process that takes mere minutes, swiftly preparing your SEM for volume electron microscopy.

Application Examples

Flatworm macrostomum lignano

Macrostomum lignano, a free-living flatworm, presents a valuable model organism in biological research. Its regenerative capabilities and transparent body make it an interesting subject in fields like stem cell biology, aging, and sexual reproduction. Detailed knowledge of its internal morphology is therefore key to gain insights into its biological processes. katana microtome enables the acquisition of the 3D architecture of M.lignano at nanometre resolution, allowing the reconstruction of some cell structures such as cillia, rhabdites, ultrarhabdites and internal vesicles. One significant application was to visualise the intricate network of stem cells in M. lignano, crucial for understanding their remarkable regenerative abilities. This has also helped reveal the unique structural features of the reproductive organs and the interaction of these organs with the surrounding tissues.

Tobacco Seedlings

Tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) seedlings offer a crucial stage for studying plant development and responses to environmental conditions. Understanding the cellular and subcellular events during seedling development can have significant implications for crop management and genetic engineering efforts. katana microtome is used to visualise the 3D architecture of cell walls and chloroplasts in tobacco seedlings. These structural details can help understand how cell walls expand during plant growth, and the distribution of chloroplasts and their role in seedling development.

Dentin Tubule Occlusion

Sensitive teeth, often caused by exposed dentin tubules, can create significant discomfort for individuals. Various sensitive toothpastes on the market aim to alleviate this issue through a process known as dentin tubule occlusion. A detailed study of this process is crucial to optimising the formulation of these toothpastes. Using katana microtome can visualise the penetration of occlusion agents, usually composed of nanoparticles such as hydroxyapatite or strontium acetate, into dentin tubules. These images reveal how these agents interact with the tubules, their deposition patterns, and ultimately, their effectiveness in tubule occlusion. By comparing pre-treatment and post-treatment images, the occlusion efficacy of various toothpaste formulations can be quantitatively assessed.

Explore datasets collected using katana microtome on WEBKNOSSOS

Collected on JEOL IT700. Sample courtesy of Dr Isabelle Bonne, National University of Singapore

Collected on Zeiss Sigma VP. Sample courtesy of Dr Christel Genoud, University of Lausanne

Collected on Zeiss Auriga. Sample courtesy of Prof Nobuhiko Ohno, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, Japan

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