scholarly journals Block-staining tissues with potassium ferrocyanide-reduced osmium tetroxide and lead aspartate for electron microscopic radioautography.

1984 ◽  
Vol 32 (5) ◽  
pp. 552-554 ◽  
Author(s):  
B M Kopriwa
Keyword(s):  
Room Temperature ◽  
Osmium Tetroxide ◽  
Uranyl Acetate ◽  
Potassium Ferrocyanide ◽  
Electron Microscopic ◽  
En Bloc ◽  
Simple Method ◽  
Electron Microscopic Radioautography

In the hope of devising a method for prestaining tissues en bloc for electron microscopic radioautography, pieces of radioiodine-labeled liver were taken through various combinations of ferrocyanide-reduced osmium tetroxide, lead aspartate, and aqueous uranyl acetate at room temperature or at 60 degrees C. Following the tests, the method adopted for routine use was to block-stain tissues for 2 hr in potassium ferrocyanide-reduced osmium tetroxide at 4 degrees C followed by 1 hr in Walton's lead aspartate at room temperature. This simple method, which requires no manipulation before or after emulsion coating and development of the radioautographs, provides adequate contrast without inducing background fog or artifacts.

scholarly journals ULTRATHIN FROZEN SECTIONS

1967 ◽  
Vol 34 (3) ◽  
pp. 757-771 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. Bernhard ◽  
Elizabeth H. Leduc
Keyword(s):  
Electron Microscopy ◽  
Room Temperature ◽  
Osmium Tetroxide ◽  
Phosphotungstic Acid ◽  
Cultured Cells ◽  
Uranyl Acetate ◽  
Distilled Water ◽  
Frozen Sections ◽  
Simple Method ◽  
Ultrathin Frozen Sections

A relatively simple method for obtaining ultrathin, frozen sections for electron microscopy has been developed. Tissues, cultured cells, and bacteria may be employed. They are fixed in 1.25–4% glutaraldehyde for 1–4 hr, are washed overnight in buffer at 3°C, and are embedded in 20% thiolated gelatin or pure gelatin. Before sectioning they are partially dehydrated in 50% glycerol, frozen in liquid nitrogen on a modified tissue holder, and subsequently maintained at -70°C with dry ice. Finally, they are sectioned very rapidly with glass knives on a slightly modified Porter-Blum MT-1 microtome in a commercial deep-freeze maintained at -35°C and are floated in the trough of the knife on a 40% solution of dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO). The sections are picked up in plastic loops and transferred to distilled water at room temperature for thawing and removal of the DMSO, placed on grids coated with Formvar and carbon, air-dried, and stained with phosphotungstic acid, sodium silicotungstate, or a triple stain of osmium tetroxide, uranyl acetate, and lead. Large flat sections are obtained in which ultrastructural preservation is good. They are particularly useful for cytochemical studies.

En bloc staining available for stereoscopic observation of epoxy resin Quetol 651-embedded thick sections under a 300 kV TEM

1990 ◽  
Vol 48 (3) ◽  
pp. 740-741
Author(s):  
Tsuyuka Kushida ◽  
Haruyuki Iijima ◽  
Hiroshi Kushida ◽  
Chusei Tsuruta
Keyword(s):  
Epoxy Resin ◽  
Room Temperature ◽  
Osmium Tetroxide ◽  
Uranyl Acetate ◽  
List Type ◽  
Distilled Water ◽  
Thick Section ◽  
En Bloc ◽  
Fixed Tissue ◽  
Stereoscopic Observation

A staining method has been devised for easy en bloc staining for stereoscopic observation of epoxy resin Quetol 651-embedded thick sections under a 300 kV transmission microscope (TEM). In order to enhance staining properties in thick section, osmium tetroxide-fixed tissue blocks are stained only en bloc, since the images of both sides in thick section give high contrast and the image of an intermediate layer shows low contrast by double staining.This method uses carbohydrazide (Polysciences, Inc., U.S.A.) as osmium bridging agent, and both osmium tetroxide and uranyl acetate as electron staining agents.The following procedure is suitable for en bloc staining. 1.Fix small tissue blocks in 2% cacodylate-buffered osmium tetroxide (pH 7.4) for 3 hours at 4°C.2.Wash well in buffer for 1 hour.3.Transfer in 1% aqueous carbohydrazide for 2 hours at room temperature.4.Wash well in distilled water for 1 hour.5.Stain in 1% aqueous osmium tetroxide for 2 hours at room temperature.6.Wash well in distilled water for 1 hour.7.Dehydrate in 50% alcohol for 1 hour.8.Stain in a 2.5% solution of uranyl acetate in 50% alcohol for 3 hours at room temperature.9.Wash in 50% alcohol for 1 hour.10.Dehydrate with 60%, 70%, 80%, 90% and 100% (2 changes) alcohols for 30 minutes each.11.Embed in a mixture of Quetol 651 (Nissin EM Co., Ltd., Japan), nonenyl succinic anhydride, methyl nadic anhydride and DMP-30 according to the method of Kushida et al.

Cellular Contacts Within the Interhemal Membrane of the Rat Placenta at Term

1974 ◽  
Vol 32 ◽  
pp. 146-147
Author(s):  
William P. Jollie
Keyword(s):  
Osmium Tetroxide ◽  
Uranyl Acetate ◽  
Capillary Endothelium ◽  
En Bloc ◽  
Aldehyde Fixation ◽  
Chorioallantoic Placenta

By routine EM preparative techniques, the tissues which, collectively, separate maternal and fetal bloods in the fully formed chorioallantoic placenta of the rat have been shown to consist of three chorionic layers, or trophoblast, and a layer of allantoic capillary endothelium [Fig. 1]. Relationships between these layers are best demonstrated by special techniques, viz., cacodylate-buffered aldehyde fixation, collidine-buffered osmium tetroxide postfixation, and en bloc staining with uranyl acetate. By using this method on placentas at term, the cells of the outermost chorionic layer (Trophoblast 1) appear to be attached to each other by means of maculae adherentes which sometimes occur in clusters [Fig. 2].

Cytoplasmic Invaginations in Trophoblasts and Epithelial Cells of Rat

1971 ◽  
Vol 29 ◽  
pp. 524-525
Author(s):  
Iracema M. Baccarini
Keyword(s):  
Osmium Tetroxide ◽  
Uranyl Acetate ◽  
Nuclear Inclusions ◽  
Mucous Cells ◽  
Electron Microscopic ◽  
Cervical Epithelium ◽  
Intact Membrane ◽  
Microscopic Studies ◽  
Abnormal Cells ◽  
Nuclear Features

Some morphological nuclear features (invaginations) in normal and abnormal cells have been described in several electron microscopic studies. They have been referred to by others as blebs, loops, pockets, sheets, bodies, nuclear inclusions and cytoplasmic invaginations. Identical appearing structures were found in cells of the uterine cervical epithelium, in trophoblasts of blastocysts and in trophoblasts of rat placenta.Methods. Uterine cervix (normal rats), rat placenta (9-10 days gestation) and blastocyst were placed in 3% glutarahdehyde for 3 hours. The tissue was washed in phosphate buffer for 24 hours, postfixed in 1%. buffered osmium tetroxide for 1-2 hours and embedded in epon araldite. Sections were double stained with uranyl acetate and lead citrate and viewed in E. M. Siemens 200.Observations. Nuclear invaginations were found in basal, parabasal and mucous cells of the cervix epithelium, in trophoblasts of blastocyst and in trophoblasts of placenta. An oval, round or elongated invagination contained heterogenously cytoplasm surrounded by a double intact membrane; usually several invaginations were found in the same nucleus.

Ultrastructural comparison of prolactin adenomas of pituitary in men and women

1988 ◽  
Vol 46 ◽  
pp. 346-347
Author(s):  
R.C. Caughey ◽  
U.P. Kalyan-Raman
Keyword(s):  
Endoplasmic Reticulum ◽  
Electron Microscope ◽  
Phosphate Buffer ◽  
Pituitary Adenomas ◽  
Osmium Tetroxide ◽  
Secretory Granules ◽  
Uranyl Acetate ◽  
En Bloc ◽  
Men And Women ◽  
Transmission Electron

Prolactin producing pituitary adenomas are ultrastructurally characterized by secretory granules varying in size (150-300nm), abundance of endoplasmic reticulum, and misplaced exocytosis. They are also subclassified as sparsely or densely granulated according to the amount of granules present. The hormone levels in men and women vary, being higher in men; so also the symptoms vary between both sexes. In order to understand this variation, we studied 21 prolactin producing pituitary adenomas by transmission electron microscope. This was out of a total of 80 pituitary adenomas. There were 6 men and 15 women in this group of 21 prolactinomas.All of the pituitary adenomas were fixed in 2.5% glutaraldehyde, rinsed in Millonig's phosphate buffer, and post fixed with 1% osmium tetroxide. They were then en bloc stained with 0.5% uranyl acetate, rinsed with Walpole's non-phosphate buffer, dehydrated with graded series of ethanols and embedded with Epon 812 epoxy resin.

Electron Microscopic Examination of a Transplantable Rat Mammary Carcinoma

1968 ◽  
Vol 26 ◽  
pp. 20-21
Author(s):  
S. Shirahama ◽  
G. C. Engle ◽  
R. M. Dutcher
Keyword(s):  
Electron Microscope ◽  
Osmium Tetroxide ◽  
Electron Microscopic Examination ◽  
Undifferentiated Carcinoma ◽  
Uranyl Acetate ◽  
Sprague Dawley ◽  
Electron Microscopic ◽  
North West ◽  
X Irradiation ◽  
Tissue Specimens

A transplantable carcinoma was established in North West Sprague Dawley (NWSD) rats by use of X-irradiation by Engle and Spencer. The tumor was passaged through 63 generations over a period of 32 months. The original tumor, an adenocarcinoma, changed into an undifferentiated carcinoma following the 19th transplant. The tumor grew well in NWSD rats of either sex at various ages. It was invariably fatal, causing death of the host within 15 to 35 days following transplantation.Tumor, thymus, spleen, and plasma from 7 rats receiving transplants of tumor at 3 to 9 weeks of age were examined with an electron microscope at intervals of 8, 15, 22 and 30 days after transplantation. Four normal control rats of the same age were also examined. The tissues were fixed in glutaraldehyde, postfixed in osmium tetroxide and embedded in Epon. The plasma was separated from heparanized blood and processed as previously described for the tissue specimens. Sections were stained with uranyl acetate followed by lead citrate and examined with an RCA EMU-3G electron microscope.

Observations of thick and thin sections in a field-emission SEM

1994 ◽  
Vol 52 ◽  
pp. 1018-1019
Author(s):  
W. P. Wergin ◽  
S. Roy ◽  
E. F. Erbe ◽  
C. A. Murphy ◽  
C. D. Pooley
Keyword(s):  
Electron Microscope ◽  
Field Emission ◽  
Room Temperature ◽  
Osmium Tetroxide ◽  
Uranyl Acetate ◽  
Chemical Fixation ◽  
Thin Sections ◽  
Transmission Electron ◽  
Conventional Transmission Electron Microscope ◽  
Scanning Electron

Larvae of the nematode, Steinernema carpocapsae Weiser strain All, were cryofixed and freezesubstituted for 3 days in acetone containing 2% osmium tetroxide according to established procedures. Following chemical fixation, the nematodes were brought to room temperature, embedded in Spurr's medium and sectioned for observation with a Hitachi S-4100 field emission scanning electron microscope that was equipped with an Oxford CT 1500 Cryotrans System. Thin sections, about 80 nm thick, similar to those generally used in conventional transmission electron microscope (TEM) studies were mounted on copper grids and stained with uranyl acetate for 30 min and lead citrate for 5 min. Sections about 2 μm thick were also mounted and stained in a similar fashion. The grids were mounted on an Oxford grid holder, inserted into the microscope and onto a cryostage that was operated at ambient temperature. Thick and thin sections of the larvae were evaluated and photographed in the SEM at different accelerating voltages. Figs. 4 and 5 have undergone contrast conversion so that the images would resemble transmitted electron micrographs obtained with a TEM.

Microscopic investigations of novel intracellular bodies of a Nocardia SP

1994 ◽  
Vol 52 ◽  
pp. 356-357
Author(s):  
J. L. Stites
Keyword(s):  
Uranyl Acetate ◽  
Electron Microscopic ◽  
En Bloc ◽  
Ribonucleic Acids ◽  
Transmission Electron ◽  
Nocardia Sp ◽  
Internal Constitution ◽  
Membrane Bound ◽  
Molecular Components ◽  
Protein Rich

A Nocardia sp.was found during an initial transmission electron microscopic (TEM) examination to have unusual intracellular bodies (ICB's) which do not appear to have been described previously in the literature. Most intracellular structures within bacteria have been classified as storage granules, a product of membrane invagination (i.e. mesosomes), or vacuoles. In bacteria there are no known intracellular membrane-bound organelles, and all internal membranes are invaginations of the unit membrane. Several microscopic-level examinations of the Nocardia sp. ICB's were initiated in order to determine their overall structure, classification, and internal constitution.Different TEM staining procedures were performed to determine possible molecular components of the ICB. In all of the staining protocols the ICB's showed a lack of electron density similar to the cell wall. Because the ICB's showed no affinity to any stain, it appeared they do not have strong positive charge (phosphotungstic acid), are not protein rich (en bloc uranyl acetate), lack glycogen and are not phosphate or sulphur rich (lead citrate), nor do they contain lipids or ribonucleic acids (osmium tetroxide).

Effects of Mg2+ on Chromatic Structure in Isolated Chicken Liver Nuclei

1990 ◽  
Vol 48 (3) ◽  
pp. 130-131
Author(s):  
Soichiro Arai ◽  
Yuh H. Nakanishi
Keyword(s):  
Chromatin Structure ◽  
Room Temperature ◽  
Osmium Tetroxide ◽  
Divalent Cations ◽  
Chromatin Condensation ◽  
Chicken Liver ◽  
Electron Microscopic ◽  
Razor Blade ◽  
Microscopic Studies ◽  
Liver Nuclei

Although many electron microscopic studies on extracted chromatin have provided considerable information on chromatin condensation induced by divalent cations, there is only a little literature available on the effects of divalent cations on chromatin structure in intact nuclei. In the present study, the effects of Mg2+ on chromatin structure in isolated chicken liver nuclei were examined over a wide concentration range of Mg2+ by scanning electron microscopy.Nuclei were prepared from chicken liver by the method of Chauveau et al. with some modifications. The nuclei were suspended in 25 mM triethanolamine chloride buffer (pH7.4) with 1 mM EDTA or in the buffer with concentrations of MgCl2 varying from 1 to 50 mM. After incubation for 1 min at 0°C, glutaraldehyde was added to 1.8% and the nuclei were fixed for 1 h at 4°C. The fixed nuclei were mixed with 15% gelatin solution warmed at about 40°C, and kept at room temperature until the mixture set. The gelatin containing the nuclei was fixed with 2% glutaraldehyde for 2-4 h, and cut into small blocks. The gelatin blocks were conductive-stained with 2% tannic acid and 2% osmium tetroxide, dehydrated in a graded series of ethanol, and freeze-cracked with a razor blade in liquid nitrogen.

scholarly journals Potassium permanganate is an excellent alternative to osmium tetroxide in freeze-substitution

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin Schauflinger ◽  
Tim Bergner ◽  
Gregor Neusser ◽  
Christine Kranz ◽  
Clarissa Read
Keyword(s):  
High Pressure ◽  
Potassium Permanganate ◽  
Lipid Membranes ◽  
Osmium Tetroxide ◽  
Freeze Substitution ◽  
Uranyl Acetate ◽  
En Bloc ◽  
Block Face ◽  
Critical Aspects

AbstractHigh-pressure freezing followed by freeze-substitution is a valuable method for ultrastructural analyses of resin-embedded biological samples. The visualization of lipid membranes is one of the most critical aspects of any ultrastructural study and can be especially challenging in high-pressure frozen specimens. Historically, osmium tetroxide has been the preferred fixative and staining agent for lipid-containing structures in freeze-substitution solutions. However, osmium tetroxide is not only a rare and expensive material, but also volatile and toxic. Here, we introduce the use of a combination of potassium permanganate, uranyl acetate, and water in acetone as complementing reagents during the freeze-substitution process. This mix imparts an intense en bloc stain to cellular ultrastructure and membranes, which makes poststaining superfluous and is well suited for block-face imaging. Thus, potassium permanganate can effectively replace osmium tetroxide in the freeze-substitution solution without sacrificing the quality of ultrastructural preservation.

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