Biomaterial Database

Fixation of microsporidian spores for electron microscopy. 2005

J I Ronny Larsson

Department of Cell and Organism Biology, University of Lund, Helgonavagen 3, S-223 62 Lund, Sweden. ronny.larsson@cob.lu.se

Fresh and frozen spores of the microsporidia Nosema apis and Nosema bombi were fixed using various fixatives at different times and temperatures. Paraformaldehyde and technical formaldehyde gave results comparable to or better than glutaraldehyde. Increased fixation temperature improved the fixation of spores from terrestrial hosts. Freezing did not destroy the cytology of the spore.

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
D013170	Spores	The reproductive elements of lower organisms, such as BACTERIA; FUNGI; and cryptogamic plants.	Spore
D016707	Tissue Fixation	The technique of using FIXATIVES in the preparation of cytologic, histologic, or pathologic specimens for the purpose of maintaining the existing form and structure of all the constituent elements.	Fixation, Tissue
D016814	Microsporidia	A phylum of fungi comprising minute intracellular PARASITES with FUNGAL SPORES of unicellular origin. It has two classes: Rudimicrosporea and MICROSPOREA.	Microspora,Microsporidians,Microsporas,Microsporidian,Microsporidias