Electron probe microanalysis

The purpose of Electron Probe Microanalysis of biological systems is to identify, localize, and quantify elements, mass, and water in cells and tissues. The method itself is based on the idea that all electrons and photons emerging from a specimen irradiated by an electron beam, contain information on its structure and composition. Seven contributions concentrate on progress and problems of data acquisition and evaluation in X-ray microanalysis and electron energy loss spectroscopy, whereas the main topics cover the application of electron probe microanalysis in biological research: intracellular element localization, studies of epithelial iron transport and of dynamic processes in cells. Two reviews consider the application of this method in medicine, particularly in pathology and diagnosis.