Comparison of environmental scanning electron microscopy with high vacuum scanning electron microscopy as applied to the assessment of cell morphology

2004 ◽  
Vol 69A (2) ◽  
pp. 359-366 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karen J. McKinlay ◽  
Francis J. Allison ◽  
Colin A. Scotchford ◽  
David M. Grant ◽  
James M. Oliver ◽  
...  
1999 ◽  
Vol 5 (S2) ◽  
pp. 286-287
Author(s):  
Christopher J. Gilpin ◽  
Mohamed S. Baguneid

Environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM) has matured into a mainstream technique in many areas of microscopy. Instrumentation has evolved and our understanding of some of the imaging mechanisms has progressed. However the majority of laboratories where ESEMs are located are based around the materials sciences. Despite the fact that ESEM is the only SEM instrument that permits liquid water to be present whilst imaging, the housing of such a microscope in biological EM units has been relatively rare. This authors laboratory is a multi-user EM unit based in a School of Biological Sciences. There exists the opportunity for basic biological scientists, clinical and pre-clinical medical and dental researchers to make use of such a resource. Indeed as the ESEM is housed alongside a conventional high vacuum instrument and a cryo high vacuum instrument there exists the ideal opportunity to carry out comparative studies.This study will examine a range of biological samples using ESEM, cryo SEM and dry high vacuum SEM.


1997 ◽  
Vol 3 (S2) ◽  
pp. 381-382
Author(s):  
Stuart McKernan

The possibility of performing scanning electron microscopy under “environmental” conditions (ESEM); where the specimen does not have to be under high-vacuum conditions, or even coated to make it conductive, has existed for several years[l]. Several different flavors of environmental scanning electron microscope now exist, as well as a newer generation of microscope which is capable of imaging at very low accelerating voltages. Techniques for rapidly freezing hydrated specimens and obtaining very high resolution images from them in the SEM have also been improved recently. As a result of all this innovation, it is now possible to examine many classes of specimens in the SEM that were previously thought to be impossible to image (or at least not worthwhile frying).Among the advantages of the environmental SEM are the fact that images of non-conductive surfaces can be obtained without the necessity for additional sample coating. This can be especially important in dynamic experiments, and hot-stage work, where the presence of a surface coating may substantially affect the samples behavior


2005 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 115 ◽  
Author(s):  
Frederic J. DoucetPresent address: Division of ◽  
Jamie R. Lead ◽  
Leanne Maguire ◽  
Eric P. AchterbergPresent address: Southamp ◽  
Geoff E. Millward

2001 ◽  
Vol 7 (S2) ◽  
pp. 792-793
Author(s):  
Stuart McKernan ◽  
Robert van Tankeren ◽  
Kevin H. Mayo

The possibility of performing scanning electron microscopy under “environmental” conditions (ESEM); where the specimen does not have to be under high-vacuum conditions, or even coated to make it conductive, has existed for several years [1]. in particular it has been possible to image in conditions that allow the samples to remain fully hydrated during observation. This unique feature of the ESEM has been exploited to image the dehydration of aqueous protein gel materials which have been created under controlled conditions to produce a range of Gel types.Drops of several μl of the Gels were placed in the Peltier cooling stage of the FEI-Philips Electroscan E3, and allowed to stabilize at 4.1°C. Several drops of water were placed on the stagesurround to maintain a high vapor pressure of water around the sample. The chamber was then pumped down to the working pressure of 6 torr and then back-filled with pure water vapor following the technique of Cameron et.al. [2].


Author(s):  
Howard S. Kaufman ◽  
Keith D. Lillemoe ◽  
John T. Mastovich ◽  
Henry A. Pitt

Gallstones contain precipitated cholesterol, calcium salts, and proteins. Calcium (Ca) bilirubinate, palmitate, phosphate, and carbonate occurring in gallstones have variable morphologies but characteristic windowless energy dispersive x-ray (EDX) spectra. Previous studies of gallstone microstructure and composition using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with EDX have been limited to dehydrated samples. In this state, Ca bilirubinates appear as either glassy masses, which predominate in black pigment stones, or as clusters, which are found mostly in cholesterol gallstones. The three polymorphs of Ca carbonate, calcite, vaterite, and aragonite, have been identified in gallstones by x-ray diffraction, however; the morphologies of these crystals vary in the literature. The purpose of this experiment was to study fresh gallstones by environmental SEM (ESEM) to determine if dehydration affects gallstone Ca salt morphology.Gallstones and bile were obtained fresh at cholecystectomy from 6 patients. To prevent dehydration, stones were stored in bile at 37°C. All samples were studied within 4 days of procurement.


2001 ◽  
Vol 707 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ian C. Bache ◽  
Catherine M. Ramsdale ◽  
D. Steve Thomas ◽  
Ana-Claudia Arias ◽  
J. Devin MacKenzie ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTCharacterising the morphology of thin films for use in device applications requires the ability to study both the structure within the plane of the film, and also through its thickness. Environmental scanning electron microscopy has proved to be a fruitful technique for the study of such films both because contrast can be seen within the film without the need for staining (as is conventionally done for electron microscopy), and because cross-sectional images can be obtained without charging artefacts. The application of ESEM to a particular blend of relevance to photovoltaics is described.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document