Abstract
A novel and disposable microchip (K-kit) with SiO 2 nano-membranes was developed and used as a specimen kit for in situ imaging of living organisms in an aqueous condition using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) without equipment modification. This K-kit enabled the successful TEM observation of living Escherichia coli cells and the tellurite reduction process in Klebsiella pneumoniae. The K. pneumoniae and Saccharomyces cerevisiae can stay alive in K-kit after continuous TEM imaging for up to 14 s and 42 s, respectively. Besides, different tellurite reduction profiles in cells grown in aerobic and anaerobic environments can be clearly revealed. These results demonstrate that the K-kit developed in this paper can be useful for observing living organisms and monitoring biological processes in situ. © The Royal Society of Chemistry.