Scanning Electron Microscopy of the Normal Rabbit Hepatocyte
Current interest in the ultrastructure of the liver arises partly from demonstrations that scanning electron microscopy is very useful for studying surfaces and interrelationships of intrahepatic structures in both normal and pathological situations. In recent years, the development of the scanning electron microscope and techniques of tissue preparation has provided a three-dimensional method for examination of the features of intrahepatic ultrastructure. Only reports on the rat liver were available. However, SEM observations on the liver from other species are currently in progress in our laboratories. In this report, the SEM observations on the rabbit hepatocyte and the relevant technique for preparing hepatic tissues are described.Healthy, adult New Zealand rabbits were anesthetized by either intravenous or intraperitoneal injection of pentobarbital. Both abdominal and thoracic walls of anesthetized animals were opened. A small incision was made in the inferior vena cava at the level just below the renal veins, immediately followed by intracardiac perfusion of chilled 0.9% saline for 5 minutes.