Life Sciences Commons^™

Scanning Electron Microscope Cytochemistry Of Blood Cells, D. Soligo, E. De Harven, E. Pozzoli, M. T. Nava, N. Polli, G. Lambertenghi-Deliliers

Scanning Electron Microscopy

The backscattered electron imaging (BEI) mode of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) has been applied to study various histo-cytochemical reactions in biological specimens since the early seventies. Due to numerous, recent technical improvements the BEI mode of SEM now belongs to the routine of many SEM laboratories.

For cytochemistry, BEI has been mainly used to: visualize intracellular structures and organelles; recognize the different cell types in heterogeneous populations or tissues; study the correlations between enzymatic activities and cell surface features.

We have evaluated the most relevant results obtained in the study of blood cells and the possible future applications of these …

Integration Of X-Ray Microanalysis And Morphometry Of Biological Material, W. C. De Bruijn

Scanning Electron Microscopy

It was investigated how to extract both morphometrical and X-ray elemental information from scanning electron microscopical (SEM) or scanning transmission electron microscopical (STEM)-images and how to integrate these two information streams either on line or off-line after storage.

Cytochemical reaction products in cell organelles in ultrathin sections are the biological structures of interest. In such organelles four different situations can be met: morphologically the structures are homomorph or heteromorph; chemically the elements are distributed either homogeneously or heterogeneously. A new program has been proposed and described, which permits determination of both the area and the mean net-intensity value of chemical …

Ultrastructural Study Of Yam Tuber As Related To Postharvest Hardness, L. Sealy, S. Renaudin, D. J. Gallant, B. Bouchet, J. M. Brillouet

Food Structure

Usually, parenchyma cell walls of monocotyledons do not develop secondary walls; however a few days after harvesting, the yam tuber of Dioscorea dumetorum starts to harden. Two or three weeks Iater, hardness is so pronounced that the tubers cannot be eaten, even after a long cooking time.

Cytochemical studies using autofluorescence or some fluorescent dyes, such as phloroglucinol hydrochloride showed that the thin, and flexible cell walls of parenchyma tubers very quickly became fully lignified after harvesting. Ultrastructura 1 stud ies of the hardened ce 11 wa 11 s showed very thick secondary wa 11 s and very deep pit …

Immuno-Cytochemistry With Backscattered Electrons, D. Soligo, E. De Harven, M. T. Nava, G. Lambertenghi-Deliliers

Scanning Electron Microscopy

Some cytochemical reaction products are visible inside the cytoplasm of cells observed with the scanning electron microscope (SEM) using the backscattered electron imaging (BEI) mode. Methods can be utilized whenever they result in the deposition of heavy metal, like silver, lead or osmium at the sites of the enzymatic reaction.

More recently the BEI mode of the SEM has been demonstrated to improve the detection of immunogold labeled cell surface antigens. Colloidal gold particles, 40 to 15 nm in diameter can be efficiently used for immuno-specific labeling. Moreover, cytochemical reactions can be applied to previously immunogold labeled cells, therefore combining …