| Title | Visualizing RNA at Electron Microscopy by Terbium Citrate. |
|---|---|
| Authors | Biggiogera, M.; Masiello, I. |
| Journal | Methods Mol Biol |
| DOI | 10.1007/978-1-4939-6788-9_21 |
| Abstract |
Although the EDTA regressive technique allows the visualization of RNPs, this widely used method is not intended to be specific for RNA alone. A fine ultrastructural visualization of RNA on ultrathin sections can be obtained with terbium citrate: this method gives a weak contrast but a very fine end product which allows observations at a high resolution level.The procedure is very simple since it consists only of a period of incubation and very short washes, which are the crucial point of this technique to avoid the Tb removal from RNA. This method does not require any special type of fixation and embedding. |
See more Terbium products. Terbium (atomic symbol: Tb, atomic number: 65) is a Block F, Group 3, Period 6 element with an atomic radius of 158.92535.
The number of electrons in each of Terbium's shells is [2, 8, 18, 27, 8, 2] and its electron configuration is [Xe]4f9 6s2. The terbium atom has a radius of 177 pm and a Van der Waals radius of 221 pm.Terbium was discovered and first isolated by Carl Gustaf Mosander in 1842. In its elemental form, terbium is a silvery-white soft metal. Terbium is found in cerite, gadolinite, and monazite. It is not found in nature as a free element. 
Terbium compounds are brightly fluorescent, and a majority of the world's terbium supply is used for creating green phosphors that enable trichromatic lighting technology. It is also frequently used as a dopant for crystalline solid-state devices and fuel cell materials. It is named after Ytterby, the town in Sweden where it was discovered.