First users on ID21's nanoscope

“Neurodegenerative diseases exhibit an accumulation of metals and aggregation of proteins in neurons”, explains Asunción Carmona, researcher of the University of Bordeaux in the team of Richard Ortega, the first users on ID21 nanoscope. “We want to know how metals contribute to neurodegeneration and the new ID21 nanoscope is the ideal tool for us”, she adds.

The ID21 team and the first users of the nanoscope in the control hutch. Credits: A. Carmona.

The researchers aim to study the transport of iron at the neuronal level and its localisation in lysosomes, a cellular organelle of about 200-500 nanometres in size.

“The spatial resolution of the new ID21 (150 nm) was paramount for the success of the experiment because we needed to show the exact location of iron”, says Carmona. “In order to find the trace concentrations of iron in the neurons we needed the high photon flux of about 1011 photons/second that we have now with EBS”, she adds.

The new ID21 nanoscope offers enhanced capabilities for nano-X-ray fluorescence mapping, nano X-ray absorption spectroscopy and hyperspectral X-ray fluorescence mapping. This new state-of-the-art instrument offers higher lateral resolution (down to 100 nm) with better X-ray fluorescence detection capacities (sub-ppm), higher acquisition speed, an improved cryogenic sample environment, preserving userfriendless thanks to a new graphical user interface.

“We offer services that are highly appreciated by our users, for example specific analysis for plants as well as sample preparation and manipulation of the samples,” says Hiram Castillo-Michel, scientist at ID21.

Text by Montserrat Capellas Espuny

Top image: Part of the team on ID21 getting the nanoscope ready.