string(19) "en/achievements/743" Structural plasticity of mouse intestinal microvilli revealed by tissue-level cryo-ET-Shenzhen Medical Academy of Research and Translation
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Structural plasticity of mouse intestinal microvilli revealed by tissue-level cryo-ET

Date：2022/02/09

Source：深圳医学科学院

This study conducted in situ 3D structural analysis of the mouse small intestinal brush border through an optimized tissue-level cryo-electron tomography workflow. Integrating high-pressure freezing, cryo-CLEM, and serial lift-out cryo-FIB milling, the team successfully prepared high-quality cryo-lamellae, collected 43 tomographic tilt series, and analyzed 490 individual microvilli. Results showed microvilli arranged in a quasi-regular lattice with an average spacing of 61 nm and diameters ranging from 72–114 nm; heterogeneous nanobristle-like projections (9.2–34.7 nm in length) were present on the surface, with occasional inter-microvillar connections. Importantly, approximately 5.5% of microvilli exhibited branched morphologies (Y-shaped and multi-branched forms), with actin bundle arrangements supporting a "tip-to-base division" renewal mechanism, revealing structural plasticity in the mammalian brush border. The Structural Biology Core Facility provided core equipment and technical support: data collection was completed using a Titan Krios G4 microscope; platform engineers assisted tilt series acquisition and TEM maintenance; Amira software was used for 3D segmentation and visualization, providing full-process technical support for the study's in situ structural analysis.

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