Influence of acceleration voltage on scanning electron microscopy of human blood platelets. 2010

E Pretorius
Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, University of Pretoria, South Africa. resia.pretorius@up.ac.za

Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) is used to view a variety of surface structures, molecules, or nanoparticles of different materials, ranging from metals, dental and medical instruments, and chemistry (e.g. polymer analysis) to biological material. Traditionally, the operating conditions of the SEM are very important in the material sciences, particularly the acceleration voltage. However, in biological sciences, it is not typically seen as an important parameter. Acceleration voltage allows electrons to penetrate the sample; thus, the higher the acceleration voltage the more penetration into the sample will occur. As a result, ultrastructural information from deeper layers will interfere with the actual surface morphology that is seen. Therefore, ultimately, if acceleration voltage is lower, a better quality of the surface molecules and structures will be produced. However, in biological sciences, this is an area that is not well-documented. Typically, acceleration voltages of between 5 and 20 kV are used. This manuscript investigates the influence of acceleration voltages ranging from 5 kV to as low as 300 V, by studying surface ultrastructure of a human platelet aggregate. It is concluded that, especially at higher magnifications, much more surface detail is visible in biological samples when using an acceleration voltage between 2 kV and 300 V.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
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
D001792 Blood Platelets Non-nucleated disk-shaped cells formed in the megakaryocyte and found in the blood of all mammals. They are mainly involved in blood coagulation. Platelets,Thrombocytes,Blood Platelet,Platelet,Platelet, Blood,Platelets, Blood,Thrombocyte
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man

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