BioDesign 2024; 12(4): 55-62
Published online December 30, 2024
https://doi.org/10.34184/kssb.2024.12.4.55
© Korean Society for Structural Biology
Han-ul Kim1,2,†, Mi Young An1,†, Haneul Kang3, Yun Suk Huh3, Chihong Song4,* and Hyun Suk Jung1,2,*
1Department of Biochemistry, College of Natural Sciences, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon 24341, Republic of Korea
2Kangwon Center for Systems Imaging, Chuncheon 24341, Republic of Korea
3Department of Biological Sciences and Bioengineering, Nano Bio High-Tech Materials Research Center, Inha University, Incheon 22212, Republic of Korea
4Department of Convergence Medicine, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Yangsan 50612, Republic of Korea
Correspondence to: *Chsong@pusan.ac.kr, hsjung@kangwon.ac.kr
†These authors contributed equally to this work.
Liposomes are widely utilized in the cosmetic, functional food, and pharmaceutical industries due to their effectiveness as carriers for substance delivery and their high potential for diverse applications. This study involved a systematic comparison of the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of images of liposomes by comparing the effectiveness of the staining agents uranyl acetate, uranyl formate, ammonium molybdate, and sodium phosphotungstate for liposome visualization. Additionally, the importance of cross-linking using glutaraldehyde on SNR enhancement was evaluated. The results revealed that the imaging outcome markedly depended on the staining solution, with a notable increase in the SNR following treatment with glutaraldehyde. These findings underscore the critical role of cross-linking in enhancing the quality of liposome visualization via TEM. Such insights offer valuable guidance for the selection of staining agents and sample preparation protocols. This contributes to successful liposome screening and enabling higher-quality experiments and designs in subsequent stages.