1035. Electron microscopical technique for investigation of structure of carbon, filaments

Vacuum ◽  
1974 ◽  
Vol 24 (7) ◽  
pp. 326-327
1965 ◽  
Vol 13 (01) ◽  
pp. 084-113 ◽  
Author(s):  
Torstein Hovig

SummaryThe effect of various enzymes on rabbit blood platelets was studied with the following results :1. The proteolytic enzymes trypsin and papain destroyed the ability of the platelets to aggregate with (1) ADP and (2) suspensions of collagen particles. The aggregation ability was not restored by incubation of the platelets in plasma. The platelets treated with these enzymes did not adhere to tendon tissue in vitro. 2. The clot retraction activity of the platelets treated with trypsin and papain was decreased. This effect was especially pronounced with the trypsinized platelets.3. In about 20% of the trypsinized platelets intracellular membrane systems appeared. Trypsin did not cause marked loss of platelet organelles and no obvious effect on the boundary membrane could be detected with the electron microscopical technique.4. No effect of hyaluronidase on the platelets could be found.5. Whereas no effect of lipase from wheat germ could be detected, phospho-lipase A caused pronounced ultrastructural changes within the platelets and the structure of the boundary membrane was altered. Corresponding to these findings release of substances from the platelets was observed by spectrophotometry (with absorption maximum at 260 ιημ) and release of ADP was demonstrated by a specific enzymatic test.6. Platelets treated with neuraminidase aggregated spontaneously when resuspended in citrated plasma or EDTA-plasma. This effect was probably not due to released ADP. It is concluded that besides protein, neuraminic acid (linked to protein) may be of fundamental importance for the aggregation properties of blood platelets.


Author(s):  
F.W. Van Leeuwen

In order to obtain specific and optimal ultrastructural localization of vasopressin and oxytocin in the hypothalamo-neurohypophyseal system of the rat, 2 staining procedures and several tissue treatments were evaluated using neurohypophyseal tissue. It appeared from these studies that post-embedding staining with the unlabeled antibody enzyme method developed by Sternberger allows greater dilution of the first antibody (anti-vasopressin, 1:4800) than the indirect procedure (1:320) using a peroxidase conjugate as second antibody. Immersion fixation with 4% formalin during 24 hours gave better results (general ultrastructure, immunoreactivity) than those obtained by perfusion fixation with 2.5% glutaraldehyde-1% paraformaldehyde or freeze substitution.Since no reliable specificity tests were performed at the electron microscopical level, tests were developed for antibodies against both vasopressin and oxytocin. For anti-vasopressin plasma neural lobes of homozygous Brattleboro rats, that are lacking vasopressin by a genet- ical defect, were used. For antibodies against both hormones serial sections were used that were alternately incubated with the antibodies.


Author(s):  
Y. L. Chen ◽  
J. R. Bradley

Considerable effort has been directed toward an improved understanding of the production of the strong and stiff ∼ 1-20 μm diameter pyrolytic carbon fibers of the type reported by Koyama and, more recently, by Tibbetts. These macroscopic fibers are produced when pyrolytic carbon filaments (∼ 0.1 μm or less in diameter) are thickened by deposition of carbon during thermal decomposition of hydrocarbon gases. Each such precursor filament normally lengthens in association with an attached catalyst particle. The subject of filamentous carbon formation and much of the work on characterization of the catalyst particles have been reviewed thoroughly by Baker and Harris. However, identification of the catalyst particles remains a problem of continuing interest. The purpose of this work was to characterize the microstructure of the pyrolytic carbon filaments and the catalyst particles formed inside stainless steel and plain carbon steel tubes. For the present study, natural gas (∼; 97 % methane) was passed through type 304 stainless steel and SAE 1020 plain carbon steel tubes at 1240°K.


Author(s):  
P. Bonhomme ◽  
A. Beorchia

We have already described (1.2.3) a device using a pockel's effect light valve as a microscopical electron image converter. This converter can be read out with incoherent or coherent light. In the last case we can set in line with the converter an optical diffractometer. Now, electron microscopy developments have pointed out different advantages of diffractometry. Indeed diffractogram of an image of a thin amorphous part of a specimen gives information about electron transfer function and a single look at a diffractogram informs on focus, drift, residual astigmatism, and after standardizing, on periods resolved (4.5.6). These informations are obvious from diffractogram but are usualy obtained from a micrograph, so that a correction of electron microscope parameters cannot be realized before recording the micrograph. Diffractometer allows also processing of images by setting spatial filters in diffractogram plane (7) or by reconstruction of Fraunhofer image (8). Using Electrotitus read out with coherent light and fitted to a diffractometer; all these possibilities may be realized in pseudoreal time, so that working parameters may be optimally adjusted before recording a micrograph or before processing an image.


Author(s):  
J. A. Traquair ◽  
E. G. Kokko

With the advent of improved dehydration techniques, scanning electron microscopy has become routine in anatomical studies of fungi. Fine structure of hyphae and spore surfaces has been illustrated for many hyphomycetes, and yet, the ultrastructure of the ubiquitous soil fungus, Geomyces pannorus (Link) Sigler & Carmichael has been neglected. This presentation shows that scanning and transmission electron microscopical data must be correlated in resolving septal structure and conidial release in G. pannorus.Although it is reported to be cellulolytic but not keratinolytic, G. pannorus is found on human skin, animals, birds, mushrooms, dung, roots, and frozen meat in addition to various organic soils. In fact, it readily adapts to growth at low temperatures.


Author(s):  
Virgil Peck ◽  
W. L. Carter

Any electron microscopical study of the morphology of bulk polymers has throughout the years been hampered by the lack of any real ability to produce meaningful surface variations for replication. True etching of polymers should show crystalline and amorphous regions in some form of relief. The use of solvents, acids, organic vapors, and inert ion bombardment to etch samples has proved to be useful only in limited applications. Certainly many interpretations of these results are subject to question.The recent use of a radiofrequency (R. F.) plasma of oxygen to degrade and remove organic material with only minor heating has opened a new possibility for etching polymers. However, rigid control of oxygen flow, time, current, and sample position are necessary in order to obtain reproducible results. The action is confined to surface layers; the molecular weight of the polymer residue after heavy etching is the same as the molecular weight of the polymer before attack, within the accuracy of measurement.


Author(s):  
Daniel Beniac ◽  
George Harauz

The structures of E. coli ribosomes have been extensively probed by electron microscopy of negatively stained and frozen hydrated preparations. Coupled with quantitative image analysis and three dimensional reconstruction, such approaches are worthwhile in defining size, shape, and quaternary organisation. The important question of how the nucleic acid and protein components are arranged with respect to each other remains difficult to answer, however. A microscopical technique that has been proposed to answer this query is electron spectroscopic imaging (ESI), in which scattered electrons with energy losses characteristic of inner shell ionisations are used to form specific elemental maps. Here, we report the use of image sorting and averaging techniques to determine the extent to which a phosphorus map of isolated ribosomal subunits can define the ribosomal RNA (rRNA) distribution within them.


Author(s):  
James Cronshaw

Long distance transport in plants takes place in phloem tissue which has characteristic cells, the sieve elements. At maturity these cells have sieve areas in their end walls with specialized perforations. They are associated with companion cells, parenchyma cells, and in some species, with transfer cells. The protoplast of the functioning sieve element contains a high concentration of sugar, and consequently a high hydrostatic pressure, which makes it extremely difficult to fix mature sieve elements for electron microscopical observation without the formation of surge artifacts. Despite many structural studies which have attempted to prevent surge artifacts, several features of mature sieve elements, such as the distribution of P-protein and the nature of the contents of the sieve area pores, remain controversial.


Author(s):  
S. Lehner ◽  
H.E. Bauer ◽  
R. Wurster ◽  
H. Seiler

In order to compare different microanalytical techniques commercially available cation exchange membrane SC-1 (Stantech Inc, Palo Alto), was loaded with biologically relevant elements as Na, Mg, K, and Ca, respectively, each to its highest possible concentration, given by the number concentration of exchangeable binding sites (4 % wt. for Ca). Washing in distilled water, dehydration through a graded series of ethanol, infiltration and embedding in Spurr’s low viscosity epoxy resin was followed by thin sectioning. The thin sections (thickness of about 50 nm) were prepared on carbon foils and mounted on electron microscopical finder grids.The samples were analyzed with electron microprobe JXA 50A with transmitted electron device, EDX system TN 5400, and on line operating image processing system SEM-IPS, energy filtering electron microscope CEM 902 with EELS/ESI and Auger spectrometer 545 Perkin Elmer.With EDX, a beam current of some 10-10 A and a beam diameter of about 10 nm, a minimum-detectable mass of 10-20 g Ca seems within reach.


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