Biomaterial Database

Sample preparation for electron microscopy of internal cell structure. 1992

G H Haggis

Research Branch, Agriculture Canada, Ottawa.

Methods are reviewed for examination of internal cell structure by high-resolution scanning electron microscopy and compared with the rapid-freeze deep-etch replica technique used in transmission electron microscopy. Rapid freezing of fresh material, followed by freeze-fracture, provides a theoretically attractive approach in ultrastructure studies, but the high protein and solute content of most cells prevents a deep three-dimensional view for material frozen without some form of extraction. After discussion of other methods it is concluded that the most useful general approach, at least for cultured cells, is to first permeabilize or break open the cells in a medium which preserves the structure under study in a functional state as, for example, the movement of chromosomes along the division spindle, or transport of proteins within the Golgi region. After permeabilization, with attendant partial extraction, the preparation can be fixed, then viewed by either deep-etch replication, or by high-resolution scanning electron microscopy, with structure of interest revealed in deep view.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008854	Microscopy, Electron	Microscopy using an electron beam, instead of light, to visualize the sample, thereby allowing much greater magnification. The interactions of ELECTRONS with specimens are used to provide information about the fine structure of that specimen. In TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY the reactions of the electrons that are transmitted through the specimen are imaged. In SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY an electron beam falls at a non-normal angle on the specimen and the image is derived from the reactions occurring above the plane of the specimen.	Electron Microscopy
D008855	Microscopy, Electron, Scanning	Microscopy in which the object is examined directly by an electron beam scanning the specimen point-by-point. The image is constructed by detecting the products of specimen interactions that are projected above the plane of the sample, such as backscattered electrons. Although SCANNING TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY also scans the specimen point by point with the electron beam, the image is constructed by detecting the electrons, or their interaction products that are transmitted through the sample plane, so that is a form of TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY.	Scanning Electron Microscopy,Electron Scanning Microscopy,Electron Microscopies, Scanning,Electron Microscopy, Scanning,Electron Scanning Microscopies,Microscopies, Electron Scanning,Microscopies, Scanning Electron,Microscopy, Electron Scanning,Microscopy, Scanning Electron,Scanning Electron Microscopies,Scanning Microscopies, Electron,Scanning Microscopy, Electron
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D016591	Histocytological Preparation Techniques	Methods of preparing cells or tissues for examination and study of their origin, structure, function, or pathology. The methods include preservation, fixation, sectioning, staining, replica, or other technique to allow for viewing using a microscope.	Cytohistological Preparation Techniques,Cytohistologic Preparation Technics,Cytohistologic Preparation Technique,Cytohistologic Preparation Techniques,Cytohistological Preparation Technic,Cytohistological Preparation Technics,Cytohistological Preparation Technique,Histocytologic Preparation Technic,Histocytologic Preparation Technics,Histocytologic Preparation Technique,Histocytologic Preparation Techniques,Histocytological Preparation Technic,Histocytological Preparation Technics,Histocytological Preparation Technique,Preparation Technic, Cytohistologic,Preparation Technic, Cytohistological,Preparation Technic, Histocytologic,Preparation Technic, Histocytological,Preparation Technics, Cytohistologic,Preparation Technics, Cytohistological,Preparation Technics, Histocytologic,Preparation Technics, Histocytological,Preparation Technique, Cytohistologic,Preparation Technique, Cytohistological,Preparation Technique, Histocytologic,Preparation Technique, Histocytological,Preparation Techniques, Cytohistologic,Preparation Techniques, Cytohistological,Preparation Techniques, Histocytologic,Preparation Techniques, Histocytological,Technic, Cytohistologic Preparation,Technic, Cytohistological Preparation,Technic, Histocytologic Preparation,Technic, Histocytological Preparation,Technics, Cytohistologic Preparation,Technics, Cytohistological Preparation,Technics, Histocytologic Preparation,Technics, Histocytological Preparation,Technique, Cytohistologic Preparation,Technique, Cytohistological Preparation,Technique, Histocytologic Preparation,Technique, Histocytological Preparation,Techniques, Cytohistologic Preparation,Techniques, Cytohistological Preparation,Techniques, Histocytologic Preparation,Techniques, Histocytological Preparation,Cytohistologic Preparation Technic