Raman Microscopy of Crystalline Inclusions in Microalgae
by Doc. RNDr., Peter Mojzeš
Raman microscopy is a microscopic imaging method combining the molecular specificity of vibrational spectroscopy with the spatial resolution of confocal optical microscopy. Here, it will be presented as an exceptionally useful method for identifying the chemical nature of intracellular organelles and intracellular inclusions, and for chemical mapping of microorganisms. Recent methodological progress we have contributed to will be illustrated by selected examples of identifying the chemical composition of crystalline inclusions in photosynthetic microalgae. The advantages, perspectives, opportunities, and challenges of wider use of Raman microscopy in biological applications will also be highlighted, along with the limitations and pitfalls of this method.
