Leica – EM ICE – High-pressure Freezer

The Leica EM ICE is a high-pressure freezer. The freezer operates under 2100 bar or 2100 times atmospheric pressure. This high pressure combined with liquid nitrogen temperatures of -193 dec C, provide very fast freezing rates. This allows the freezing of thick 30micron or more samples to be frozen at a rate quick enough that water ice crystals will not form. Instead an amorphous, or vitreous ice is formed. Vitreous ice is critical for imaging biological materials on the transmission electron microscope. Once cells or tissue are frozen, they are transferred to the Aquilos FIB/SEM, where the area of interest can be milled to thin lamellas. These thin lamellas are then transferred under liquid nitrogen temperatures to the Glacios for 3-dimensional structure determination via tomography applications. The Leica EM ICE high-pressure freezer is available to all University of California students, staff, and faculty as well as external institutions both private and public. Access is dependent upon completion of hands-on training provided by UCSB CryoEM staff. Access to the facility and staff is managed by our scheduler software.