scholarly journals Resolution in electron microscope autoradiography. III. Iodine-125, the effect of heavy metal staining, and a reassessment of critical parameters.

1977 ◽  
Vol 72 (1) ◽  
pp. 161-173 ◽  
Author(s):  
M M Salpeter ◽  
H C Fertuck ◽  
E E Salpeter

Resolution for 125I-labeled specimens under electron microscope (EM) autoradiographic conditions was assessed experimentally. With this isotope the size of the silver halide crystal was the most important resolution-limiting factor. Heavy metal staining such as is routinely used in preparing animal tissues for EM autoradiography produced an improvement in resolution of approximately 15-20%. For a 500-1,000-A biological tissue section fixed with OsO4 and stained with uranyl acetate, we obtained resolution (half distance, HD) values of approximately 800 +/- 120 A using Ilford L4 emulsion and 500 +/- 70 A using a Kodak NTE-type emulsion. General aspects of resolution-limiting factors and comparison with 3H and 14C values are discussed.

1973 ◽  
Vol 21 (7) ◽  
pp. 623-627 ◽  
Author(s):  
MIRIAM M. SALPETER

In quantitative electron microscopic autoradiography test specimens for sensitivity usually consist of plastic or protein films 500-1000 Å in thickness. For tritium, the applicability of sensitivity values derived from such specimens to biologic sections which had been stained with heavy metals was determined. It was found that, within the range of section thickness used for electron microscopic autoradiography, fixation with OsO4 followed by uranyl acetate staining increases self-absorption by less than 7% over that seen in Epon sections of the same thickness. A somewhat larger effect is seen in sections used for light microscopic autoradiography. The effect on electron microscopic autoradiographic resolution is estimated to be within 10%.


1974 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 80-87 ◽  
Author(s):  
HELEN C. FERTUCK ◽  
MIRIAM M. SALPETER

Sensitivity in electron microscope autoradiography was determined for 125I. Values are given using Ilford L4 and Kodak NTE emulsions combined with different developers. The extent of self-absorption as a function of section thickness and heavy metal staining and the effect of radiation dose (dose dependence) were assessed. It was found that the over-all efficiency for 125I was better than that for tritium and that, as is the case with tritium, there is a distinct "dose dependence" especially when Microdol X is the developer. Self-absorption studies indicate that self-absorption is increased by about 15% when the specimen thickness is increased from 300 to 1000 Å. An increase of under 15% is also introduced by heavy metal staining of sections in this thickness range.


Author(s):  
J. N. Meador ◽  
C. N. Sun ◽  
H. J. White

The electron microscope is being utilized more and more in clinical laboratories for pathologic diagnosis. One of the major problems in the utilization of the electron microscope for diagnostic purposes is the time element involved. Recent experimentation with rapid embedding has shown that this long phase of the process can be greatly shortened. In rush cases the making of projection slides can be eliminated by taking dark field electron micrographs which show up as a positive ready for use. The major limiting factor for use of dark field micrographs is resolution. However, for conference purposes electron micrographs are usually taken at 2.500X to 8.000X. At these low magnifications the resolution obtained is quite acceptable.


Author(s):  
F. B. P. Wooding ◽  
K. Pedley ◽  
N. Freinkel ◽  
R. M. C. Dawson

Freinkel et al (1974) demonstrated that isolated perifused rat pancreatic islets reproduceably release up to 50% of their total inorganic phosphate when the concentration of glucose in the perifusion medium is raised.Using a slight modification of the Libanati and Tandler (1969) method for localising inorganic phosphate by fixation-precipitation with glutaraldehyde-lead acetate we can demonstrate there is a significant deposition of lead phosphate (identified by energy dispersive electron microscope microanalysis) at or on the plasmalemma of the B cell of the islets (Fig 1, 3). Islets after incubation in high glucose show very little precipitate at this or any other site (Fig 2). At higher magnification the precipitate seems to be intracellular (Fig 4) but since any use of osmium or uranyl acetate to increase membrane contrast removes the precipitate of lead phosphate it has not been possible to verify this as yet.


Author(s):  
Manfred E. Bayer

Bacterial viruses adsorb specifically to receptors on the host cell surface. Although the chemical composition of some of the cell wall receptors for bacteriophages of the T-series has been described and the number of receptor sites has been estimated to be 150 to 300 per E. coli cell, the localization of the sites on the bacterial wall has been unknown.When logarithmically growing cells of E. coli are transferred into a medium containing 20% sucrose, the cells plasmolize: the protoplast shrinks and becomes separated from the somewhat rigid cell wall. When these cells are fixed in 8% Formaldehyde, post-fixed in OsO4/uranyl acetate, embedded in Vestopal W, then cut in an ultramicrotome and observed with the electron microscope, the separation of protoplast and wall becomes clearly visible, (Fig. 1, 2). At a number of locations however, the protoplasmic membrane adheres to the wall even under the considerable pull of the shrinking protoplast. Thus numerous connecting bridges are maintained between protoplast and cell wall. Estimations of the total number of such wall/membrane associations yield a number of about 300 per cell.


Author(s):  
E. B. Masurovsky ◽  
H. H. Benitez ◽  
M. R. Murray

Recent light- and electron microscope studies concerned with the effects of D2O on the development of chick sympathetic ganglia in long-term, organized culture revealed the presence of rod-like fibrillar formations, and associated granulofibrillar bodies, in the nuclei of control and deuterated neurons. Similar fibrillar formations have been reported in the nuclei of certain mammalian CNS neurons; however, related granulofibrillar bodies have not been previously described. Both kinds of intranuclear structures are observed in cultures fixed either in veronal acetate-buffered 2%OsO4 (pH 7. 4), or in 3.5% glutaraldehyde followed by post-osmication. Thin sections from such Epon-embedded cultures were stained with ethanolic uranyl acetate and basic lead citrate for viewing in the electron microscope.


Author(s):  
Roberta M. Bruck

An unusual structure in the cochlea is the spiral limbus; this periosteal tissue consists of stellate fibroblasts and collagenous fibers embedded in a translucent ground substance. The collagenous fibers are arranged in vertical columns (the auditory teeth of Haschke). Between the auditory teeth are interdental furrows in which the interdental cells are situated. These epithelial cells supposedly secrete the tectorial membrane.The fine structure of interdental cells in the rat was reported by Iurato (1962). Since the mouse appears to be different, a description of the fine structure of mouse interdental cells' is presented. Young adult C57BL/6J mice were perfused intervascularly with 1% paraformaldehyde/ 1.25% glutaraldehyde in .1M phosphate buffer (pH7.2-7.4). Intact cochlea were decalcified in .1M EDTA by the method of Baird (1967), postosmicated, dehydrated, and embedded in Araldite. Thin sections stained with uranyl acetate and lead citrate were examined in a Phillips EM-200 electron microscope.


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