Freeze etch

  Cryosection

Negative stain

TEM cytochemistry

TEM morphology

TEM immunolocalization

TEM shadow casting

TEM freeze substitution

SEM

isolate sample

isolate sample

isolate sample

isolate sample

isolate sample

isolate sample

isolate sample

isolate sample

isolate sample

mount on coated grids

mount on coated grids

fix with buffered aldehydes and/or cryoprotect

fix with buffered aldehydes and/or cryoprotect

 

gentle fix with buffered aldehydes

fix with buffered aldehydes

gentle fix with buffered formaldehyde

fix with buffered aldehydes, or osmium vapors

fix with buffered aldehydes or osmium

rapid freeze

rapid freeze

 

 

 

rapid freeze

 

 

rinse

rinse

rinse

rinse

rinse

rinse

Transfer and fracture sample in freeze-fracture machine

cytochemical reactions

 

 

 

transfer to -80C solutions of acetone with or without aldehyde and osmium for 3 days

 

 

rinse

 

 

 

 

 

Postfix with buffered aldehyde, followed by buffered osmium

Postfix with buffered osmium

 

 

Postfix with buffered osmium

 

rinse

rinse

 

 

slowly warm to room temp

rinse

 

dehydrate to 100% alcohol

dehydrate to 100% alcohol

dehydrate to 100% alcohol

air-dry

rinse with 100% acetone

dehydrate to 100% alcohol

 

embed in resin

embed in resin

embed in LR White or Lowicryl

 

embed in resin or LRW/Lowicryl

 

 

polymerize

polymerize

polymerize

 

polymerize

critical point dry

 

thick and thin slice at -100C

thick and thin slice

thick and thin slice

thick and thin slice

 

thick and thin slice

 

 

thaw slices and incubate in antibody solutions

 

incubate in antibody solutions

 

if necessary, incubate in antibody solutions

 

stain

stain with UA

stain UA & Pb

stain UA & Pb

stain in UA

stain UA (& Pb)

mount on sample stubs

evaporator coat with platinum and carbon inside machine

evaporator coat with platinum and carbon

sputter coat (or view at low kV)

remove sample, thaw to room temp., and digest sample if necessary

digest sample if necessary

collect replica on grid

 

 

if necessary, collect replica on grid

Samples are now ready to be viewed, images recorded, and the recorded images printed