... onto the sample by magnetic lenses. The electrons are detected by a fluorescent screen or photographic plate at the front of the microscope, causing the screen to glow and producing an image of the subject. Due to the finite energy of the electrons, care must be taken in the preparation of the specimen for viewing, and the subjects must be fixed to preserve their detail. The specimen must initially be fixed with a cross-linking agent and then buffered at the correct PH so no deformation occurs. The subject is then dehydrated and then covered in resin for a few days. This allows the resin to penetrate the whole of the specimen and embed the sample. Finally, the specimen is polymerised by heating, then the 'cured' block is ready for sectioning. The specimens must be sliced very thinly to allow for the finite electron energy, so the 'cured' block is cut into ultrathin ...

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