The diagram below shows the same plant cell, as viewed with the light microscope, and with the transmission electron microscope. Animal and plant cells have certain structures in common.

The limit of resolution of the transmission electron microscope is now less than 1 nm. The TEM has revealed structures in cells that are not visible with the light microscope.

A new generation of electron microscopes is able to explore the microscopic properties of materials and devices as diverse as transistors, turbine blades and interfacial superconductors.