Uranyl acetate staining under different conditions of preparation, storage and use

Author(s):  
R.H.M. Cross ◽  
A.N. Hodgson ◽  
R.T.F. Bernard

Uranyl acetate is routinely used in the staining of thin sections of biological tissue for transmission electron microscopy. Although many methods for its preparation and use have been described, there is seldom reference to the reasons for variations in concentration, solvent, storage time and staining time. Likewise, possible variations in the effects of staining under different conditions are largely ignored. In order to gain clarity on this issue an attempt has been made to test three variables (solvent, storage time and use in light or dark) under controlled experimental conditions.The tissues used for the experiment were the testis of a marine limpet, the gut epithelium of a fresh-water catfish, and the kidney of a rat; all of which were fixed and embedded by standard methods. The uranyl acetate solutions were prepared at the outset of the experiment and dispensed into small volumes and stored in the dark at 4°C until required.

1998 ◽  
Vol 4 (S2) ◽  
pp. 1138-1139
Author(s):  
G. M. Vernon ◽  
E. J. Rappa ◽  
W. C. Murray ◽  
R. Witkus

Crustacean hemocytes have been characterized on the basis of cell size and nature of cytoplasmic granules. Based on light microscopic morphological analysis and cytochemistry, investigators variously named the hemocyte types (agranular, small-granule, large granule, undifferentiated, hyaline cells, non-explosive, explosive granulocytes, etc.). In his study of the isopod Armadillidium vulgare Faso adopted the terminology of Benjamin and James and referred to the hemocytes as hyaline cells, semi-granulocytes and granulocytes.In the present investigation we have studied the hemocytes of two isopods, Oniscus asellus and Armadillidium nasatum, using transmission electron microscopy. Hemolymph was collected by penetrating the posterior dorsal exoskeleton of 20 animals of each genus with a microcapillary pipette and drawing 3-5μL per isopod. The samples were processed following a standard technique. Thin sections were collected on 300 mesh copper grids, counterstained with 2% aqueous uranyl acetate and lead citrate, and viewed with a JEOL 1010 electron microscope.


Author(s):  
Nakazo Watari ◽  
Yasuaki Hotta ◽  
Yoshio Mabuchi

It is very useful if we can observe the identical cell elements within the same sections by light microscopy (LM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and/or scanning electron microscopy (SEM) sequentially, because, the cell fine structure can not be indicated by LM, while the color is; on the other hand, the cell fine structure can be very easily observed by EM, although its color properties may not. However, there is one problem in that LM requires thick sections of over 1 μm, while EM needs very thin sections of under 100 nm. Recently, we have developed a new method to observe the same cell elements within the same plastic sections using both light and transmission (conventional or high-voltage) electron microscopes.In this paper, we have developed two new observation methods for the identical cell elements within the same sections, both plastic-embedded and paraffin-embedded, using light microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and/or scanning electron microscopy (Fig. 1).


Author(s):  
J. Cadoz ◽  
J. Castaing ◽  
J. Philibert

Plastic deformation of alumina has been much studied; basal slip occurs and dislocation structures have been investigated by transmission electron microscopy (T.E.M.) (1). Non basal slip has been observed (2); the prismatic glide system <1010> {1210} has been obtained by compression tests between 1400°C and 1800°C (3). Dislocations with <0110> burgers vector were identified using a 100 kV microscope(4).We describe the dislocation structures after prismatic slip, using high voltage T.E.M. which gives much information.Compression tests were performed at constant strainrate (∿10-4s-1); the maximum deformation reached was 0.03. Thin sections were cut from specimens deformed at 1450°C, either parallel to the glide plane or perpendicular to the glide direction. After mechanical thinning, foils were produced by ion bombardment. Details on experimental techniques can be obtained through reference (3).


Further experiments by transmission electron microscopy on thin sections of stainless steel deformed by small amounts have enabled extended dislocations to be observed directly. The arrangement and motion of whole and partial dislocations have been followed in detail. Many of the dislocations are found to have piled up against grain boundaries. Other observations include the formation of wide stacking faults, the interaction of dislocations with twin boundaries, and the formation of dislocations at thin edges of the foils. An estimate is made of the stacking-fault energy from a consideration of the stresses present, and the properties of the dislocations are found to be in agreement with those expected from a metal of low stacking-fault energy.


Nanomaterials ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 669 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mariachiara Trapani ◽  
Antonino Mazzaglia ◽  
Anna Piperno ◽  
Annalaura Cordaro ◽  
Roberto Zagami ◽  
...  

The ability of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) covalently functionalized with polyamine chains of different length (ethylenediamine, EDA and tetraethylenepentamine, EPA) to induce the J-aggregation of meso-tetrakis(4-sulfonatophenyl)porphyrin (TPPS) was investigated in different experimental conditions. Under mild acidic conditions, protonated amino groups allow for the assembly by electrostatic interaction with the diacid form of TPPS, leading to hybrid nanomaterials. The presence of only one pendant amino group for a chain in EDA does not lead to any aggregation, whereas EPA (with four amine groups for chain) is effective in inducing J-aggregation using different mixing protocols. These nanohybrids have been characterized through UV/Vis extinction, fluorescence emission, resonance light scattering and circular dichroism spectroscopy. Their morphology and chemical composition have been elucidated through transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM). TEM and STEM analysis evidence single or bundles of MWCNTs in contact with TPPS J-aggregates nanotubes. The nanohybrids are quite stable for days, even in aqueous solutions mimicking physiological medium (NaCl 0.15 M). This property, together with their peculiar optical features in the therapeutic window of visible spectrum, make them potentially useful for biomedical applications.


Clay Minerals ◽  
1987 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 179-185 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Imbert ◽  
A. Desprairies

AbstractTransmission electron microscopy of ultramicrotomed thin-sections of Pleistocene and Eocene glass shards revealed the neoformation of (i) illite and (ii) halloysite at the glass periphery. According to previous experimental studies, halloysite neoformation in marine environments can occur on glass shards deposited in Si-rich sediments; an excess of Ca tends to inhibit the reaction.


1981 ◽  
Vol 44 (335) ◽  
pp. 357-359 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. J. Barber

The advantages of polished ultra-thin sections (PUTS) in the study of very fine-grained materials, such as occur in some meteorites, have been illustrated by Fredriksson et al. (1978) whose technique is based on the earlier work of Beauchamp and WiUiford (1974). An essential feature of such methods for friable and heterogeneous materials is the use of a medium, usually an epoxy resin, to consolidate and partially impregnate them. Normally one polished side of the specimen is bonded to a glass slide during preparation, and the finished PUTS are integral with the slide on completion. PUTS are typically 2-5 microns in thickness.


1975 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
pp. 252-262 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. L. Balkwill ◽  
D. P. Labeda ◽  
L. E. Casida Jr.

A simplified procedure is presented for releasing and concentrating indigenous microbial cells from soil for viewing by transmission electron microscopy as thin sections or replicas of frozen-etched preparations. This procedure is compared with two others reported earlier, and their relative merits are discussed as concerns the choice of procedure for the cellular information desired from the soil. Freeze-etching showed that the cell types and size distributions for cells which have been released and concentrated from soil are in general agreement with those for cells in a crude soil slurry in which no attempt to release and concentrate cells was made. Microcolonies were present both in the crude slurry and in the discard soil debris centrifugation pellets from the cell release and concentration procedures. In contrast to the historic assumptions, these microcolonies, as well as some individual cells embedded in soil debris could not be broken up and (or) dislodged so that they would be washed from the soil. The relative numbers of these cells remaining with the soil debris, however, could not be quantitated in the present study.


2003 ◽  
Vol 88 (4) ◽  
pp. 1903-1906 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alessandro Riva ◽  
Felice Loffredo ◽  
Alessandro Uccheddu ◽  
Francesca Testa Riva ◽  
Bernard Tandler

By taking advantage of a modified osmium maceration technique, we have been able to examine by high resolution scanning electron microscopy (HRSEM) the interior of human adrenocortical mitochondria from which all soluble material has been extracted. The so-called vesicles apparent in thin sections examined by transmission electron microscopy actually are finger-like cristae as determined by HRSEM. These digitiform cristae have a segmented appearance and a bulbous tip. The segmented form of the cristae may have important metabolic implications.


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