Imaging lipid droplets by electron microscopy. 2013

Toyoshi Fujimoto, and Yuki Ohsaki, and Michitaka Suzuki, and Jinglei Cheng
Department of Anatomy and Molecular Cell Biology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan.

The lipid droplet (LD) is different from other cellular organelles in that most of its volume is made of lipid esters and its surface is lined by a phospholipid monolayer. This uniquely lipid-dominant structure poses a problem for electron microscopy (EM) because the aldehydes commonly used as a fixative do not react with most lipids. To circumvent this difficulty and utilize the high resolving power of EM, many methods have been developed. In this chapter, we discuss methods that have been used and/or are potentially useful to study LDs. The methods include conventional EM to observe the LD core, cryoelectron microscopy to observe the LD surface, freeze-substitution, immunoelectron microscopy (pre-embedding, post-embedding, and cryosectioning methods), and freeze-fracture. Each method has strong and weak points and therefore some caution is necessary in interpreting the obtained results. In combination with methods of other disciplines, the electron microscopic techniques should contribute significantly to solving the remaining questions on LDs.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D009942 Organometallic Compounds A class of compounds of the type R-M, where a C atom is joined directly to any other element except H, C, N, O, F, Cl, Br, I, or At. (Grant & Hackh's Chemical Dictionary, 5th ed) Metallo-Organic Compound,Metallo-Organic Compounds,Metalloorganic Compound,Organometallic Compound,Metalloorganic Compounds,Compound, Metallo-Organic,Compound, Metalloorganic,Compound, Organometallic,Compounds, Metallo-Organic,Compounds, Metalloorganic,Compounds, Organometallic,Metallo Organic Compound,Metallo Organic Compounds
D009993 Osmium Tetroxide (T-4)-Osmium oxide (OsO4). A highly toxic and volatile oxide of osmium used in industry as an oxidizing agent. It is also used as a histological fixative and stain and as a synovectomy agent in arthritic joints. Its vapor can cause eye, skin, and lung damage. Osmic Acid,Acid, Osmic,Tetroxide, Osmium
D002460 Cell Line Established cell cultures that have the potential to propagate indefinitely. Cell Lines,Line, Cell,Lines, Cell
D002479 Inclusion Bodies A generic term for any circumscribed mass of foreign (e.g., lead or viruses) or metabolically inactive materials (e.g., ceroid or MALLORY BODIES), within the cytoplasm or nucleus of a cell. Inclusion bodies are in cells infected with certain filtrable viruses, observed especially in nerve, epithelial, or endothelial cells. (Stedman, 25th ed) Cellular Inclusions,Cytoplasmic Inclusions,Bodies, Inclusion,Body, Inclusion,Cellular Inclusion,Cytoplasmic Inclusion,Inclusion Body,Inclusion, Cellular,Inclusion, Cytoplasmic,Inclusions, Cellular,Inclusions, Cytoplasmic
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000447 Aldehydes Organic compounds containing a carbonyl group in the form -CHO. Aldehyde
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
D014280 Triglycerides An ester formed from GLYCEROL and three fatty acid groups. Triacylglycerol,Triacylglycerols,Triglyceride
D017110 Freeze Substitution A modification of the freeze-drying method in which the ice within the frozen tissue is replaced by alcohol or other solvent at a very low temperature. Substitution, Freeze
D020285 Cryoelectron Microscopy Electron microscopy involving rapid freezing of the samples. The imaging of frozen-hydrated molecules and organelles permits the best possible resolution closest to the living state, free of chemical fixatives or stains. Electron Cryomicroscopy,Cryo-electron Microscopy,Cryo electron Microscopy,Cryo-electron Microscopies,Cryoelectron Microscopies,Cryomicroscopies, Electron,Cryomicroscopy, Electron,Electron Cryomicroscopies,Microscopies, Cryo-electron,Microscopies, Cryoelectron,Microscopy, Cryo-electron,Microscopy, Cryoelectron

Related Publications

Toyoshi Fujimoto, and Yuki Ohsaki, and Michitaka Suzuki, and Jinglei Cheng
September 2013, BMC research notes,
Toyoshi Fujimoto, and Yuki Ohsaki, and Michitaka Suzuki, and Jinglei Cheng
January 2013, Methods in cell biology,
Toyoshi Fujimoto, and Yuki Ohsaki, and Michitaka Suzuki, and Jinglei Cheng
April 2011, Ultramicroscopy,
Toyoshi Fujimoto, and Yuki Ohsaki, and Michitaka Suzuki, and Jinglei Cheng
February 1993, Cell and tissue research,
Toyoshi Fujimoto, and Yuki Ohsaki, and Michitaka Suzuki, and Jinglei Cheng
March 1989, The American journal of pathology,
Toyoshi Fujimoto, and Yuki Ohsaki, and Michitaka Suzuki, and Jinglei Cheng
August 1995, Cell and tissue research,
Toyoshi Fujimoto, and Yuki Ohsaki, and Michitaka Suzuki, and Jinglei Cheng
March 2014, Histochemistry and cell biology,
Toyoshi Fujimoto, and Yuki Ohsaki, and Michitaka Suzuki, and Jinglei Cheng
January 2009, Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.),
Toyoshi Fujimoto, and Yuki Ohsaki, and Michitaka Suzuki, and Jinglei Cheng
January 2016, Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.),
Toyoshi Fujimoto, and Yuki Ohsaki, and Michitaka Suzuki, and Jinglei Cheng
January 2022, Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.),
Copied contents to your clipboard!