Breakthrough Microscopy Reveals Cells in Vivid Detail

New imaging technique combines electron and fluorescence microscopy for nanometer-scale, multicolor views of cells.

Feb. 22, 2026 at 12:17am

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Scientists have developed a new imaging technique called multicolor electron microscopy that uses a novel contrast mechanism to merge the strengths of electron and fluorescence microscopy. This allows researchers to see both the intricate architecture of cells and the specific locations of proteins, all in vivid color and at nanometer resolution.

Why it matters

The breakthrough addresses a longstanding challenge in biological imaging, where scientists traditionally had to choose between seeing fine structural details or tracking specific molecules, but not both at once. The new approach opens doors for studying everything from cell signaling to the organization of molecular clusters within cells, all while seeing exactly where these processes occur within the cell's architecture.

The details

The technique uses a single electron beam to accomplish both tasks simultaneously. Researchers attach probes to proteins that emit visible light when excited by electrons, a process called cathodoluminescence. This provides the colored signal from the probes as well as the detailed structural image from the electrons. The team found that standard fluorescent dyes already used in microscopy also emit visible light when excited by electrons, eliminating the need to create new probes.

  • The research will be presented at the 70th Biophysical Society Annual Meeting in San Francisco from February 21–25, 2026.

The players

Debsankar Saha Roy

A postdoctoral fellow in the laboratory of Maxim Prigozhin at Harvard University, who is leading the development of the multicolor electron microscopy technique.

Maxim Prigozhin

A professor at Harvard University whose laboratory is developing the new microscopy approach.

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What they’re saying

“I've always been fascinated by developing new microscopy techniques that can image things we haven't seen before. We're building a multicolor electron microscope—a technique that combines the benefits of electron microscopy and fluorescence microscopy.”

— Debsankar Saha Roy, Postdoctoral Fellow

“The most surprising thing we observed was that standard dyes used in fluorescence microscopy also emit visible light when you excite them with electrons. That had never been seen before. And these dyes—and their protein labelling methods—are already developed and available; you don't have to create anything new.”

— Debsankar Saha Roy, Postdoctoral Fellow

What’s next

The team aims to extend the multicolor electron microscopy technique into three dimensions by adapting it for use with cryo-electron microscopy, where samples are flash-frozen and imaged from multiple angles to build 3D reconstructions.

The takeaway

This breakthrough in multicolor electron microscopy represents a significant advancement in biological imaging, allowing researchers to simultaneously visualize the intricate structures of cells and the precise locations of specific proteins. This powerful new tool will enable scientists to gain unprecedented insights into the organization and function of cells, from signaling pathways to molecular interactions.