Virus Diseases of the Respiratory Tract

The ciliated cells lining the conducting airways of mammals are integral to the defense mechanisms of the respiratory tract, functioning in coordination with secretory cells in the removal of inhaled and cellular debris. The effects of various infectious and toxic agents on the structure and function of airway epithelial cell cilia have been studied in our laboratory, both of which have been shown to affect ciliary ultrastructure.These observations have led to questions about ciliary regeneration as well as the possible induction of ciliogenesis in response to cellular injury. Classical models of ciliogenesis in the conducting airway epithelium of the mammalian respiratory tract have been based primarily on observations of the developing fetal lung. These observations provide a plausible explanation for the embryological generation of ciliary beds lining the conducting airways but do little to account for subsequent differentiation of ciliated cells and ciliogenesis during normal growth and development.

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Search mode for rapid detection of virus particles

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100085733 ◽

1991 ◽

Vol 49 ◽

pp. 286-287

Author(s):

O. E. Bradfute

Keyword(s):

Electron Microscopy ◽

Rapid Detection ◽

Plant Virus ◽

Low Dose ◽

Search Mode ◽

Virus Diseases ◽

Virus Particles ◽

Focus Image ◽

Time Required ◽

Rapid Switching

Electron microscopy is frequently used in preliminary diagnosis of plant virus diseases by surveying negatively stained preparations of crude extracts of leaf samples. A major limitation of this method is the time required to survey grids when the concentration of virus particles (VPs) is low. A rapid survey of grids for VPs is reported here; the method employs a low magnification, out-of-focus Search Mode similar to that used for low dose electron microscopy of radiation sensitive specimens. A higher magnification, in-focus Confirm Mode is used to photograph or confirm the detection of VPs. Setting up the Search Mode by obtaining an out-of-focus image of the specimen in diffraction (K. H. Downing and W. Chiu, private communications) and pre-aligning the image in Search Mode with the image in Confirm Mode facilitates rapid switching between Modes.

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