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Electron microscopy of isolated human hepatocytes. (Micromethods for scanning and transmission electron microscopy).

We have investigated, by scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM and TEM), the cell surface morphology of isolated human hepatocytes. For this purpose, liver cells were mechanically isolated from surgical or needle liver biopsies, fixed in 3% glutaraldehyde and post-fixed in 2% osmium tetroxide. In order to handle a low number of cells, a particular procedure for harvesting hepatocytes on coverslips has been developed for SEM and an in situ embedding procedure in polyethylene-embedding capsules was applied for TEM. A rough membrane exhibiting short, uniform microvilli and pores of 0.1 mu in diameter was the main feature of isolated liver cells. Furthermore, single hepatocytes showed no polarity and junctional or bile canaliculus remnants were rarely observed. However, differences in surface configuration were noted in relation to culture conditions, such as oxygen and temperature during isolation procedures. SEM, when controlled by TEM for intracellular preservation, is proposed as a reliable method for screening small quantities of hepatocyte suspensions, for intact cells and for the study of surface configuration under experimental conditions.

Cells, Cultured↗

Giant cell carcinoma of the lung: comparative studies of the same cancer cells by light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy.

Surface ultrastructures of giant cell carcinoma cells were studied utilizing a technique developed by the authors which permits observation of the same cells by both light and scanning electron microscopy. Although some general similarity was shown to exist between giant cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma cells, the following distinguishing features of giant cell carcinoma cells were demonstrated: (1) absence of keratinization, (2) full, bulging cellular edges and (3) presence of deep invaginations or small hollows. The features which distinguished giant cell carcinoma from adenocarcinoma cells were: (1) presence of many flattened cells, (2) folded cell surface, (3) absence of tight clusters of cancer cells and (4) few microvilli. Furthermore, the characteristic granularity observed in small cell carcinoma was not observed in giant cell carcinoma cells. Characteristically, cells of giant cell carcinoma are extremely large and flattened, engulf numerous leukocytes and have a bulging cellular edge.

Biopsy, Needle↗

Renal hemosiderosis due to thalassemia: a light and electron microscopy study with electron probe X-ray microanalysis.

A kidney biopsy specimen with pronounced hemosiderosis from a patient with beta-thalassemia major was studied by light and electron microscopy, including X-ray microanalysis. Ferritin was absorbed from the glomerular ultrafiltrate through the parietal epithelial cells and the tubular epithelial cells and from the blood through the endothelial cells. It was transported in siderosomes into the surrounding basal lamina, where electron-dense deposits of hemosiderin were found in the outer part of the lamina densa and the reticular lamina. Fibrosis was seen as a reaction to the iron followed by severe atrophy of affected structures.

Adolescent↗

Comparison of medical-grade ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene microstructure by atomic force microscopy and transmission electron microscopy.

Atomic force microscopy is used to image the topography of surfaces of bulk medical-grade ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE). Comparison with transmission electron microscopy images demonstrates that the AFM can resolve the plate-like stacks of crystalline lamellae characteristic of UHMWPE without aggressive surface treatment. Surface preparation for the AFM must be carried out by cryomicrotomy at extremely low temperatures to prevent smearing of surface features. Chemically-etched surfaces of UHMWPE require substantially less surface preparation for AFM imaging.

Freeze Fracturing↗

New insights into protein-DNA interactions obtained by electron microscopy.

The electron microscopic study of DNA-protein complexes can yield valuable information that is often not easily available by other methods. In this article we give a number of examples that were chosen to illustrate the utility of electron microscopy. Along with the strategy used are protocols that allow such experiments to be carried out. The first example employs the following strategy. Points of close proximity between nucleic acid and protein within a bacteriophage or virus are made permanent by crosslinking. Bacteriophage or virus are then partially disrupted so that individual components can be visualized. With bacteriophages, such experiments show which DNA end first enters the host on infection and therefore can in principle indicate which phage genes would be first available for transcription. This type of experiment can also show which DNA end is first to be encapsulated during formation of the bacteriophage. Information on direction of encapsulation and indirectly, direction of replication of the rolling circles that lead to concatermeric DNA to be encapsulated, can also be derived. Such experiments can additionally accurately define the degree of DNA permutation, if present, within a bacteriophage population. Finally, examples are shown for in vitro reactions involving DNA, RecA, RecO, RecF, RecR, and SSB that lead to a further understanding of recombinational repair. Additionally antibody-gold labeling is used to locate various proteins in such complexes.

Adsorption↗

Comparison of Scheimpflug-photography, specular microscopy and scanning electron microscopy to detect corneal changes in toxicity studies in rats.

With an increasing number of in-vivo methods to examine the eyes of laboratory animals, the rat has become an important animal model in experimental eye research. Specular microscopy is a clinical tool to examine the corneal endothelium in-vivo. To evaluate the versatility of this method for small animal eyes, we studied both corneal endothelial cell-count and corneal thickness in normal rats as well as those with diabetic, naphthalene and UV-B cataract. As a reference scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of the corneal endothelium was performed. For cell-counts the correlation coefficient between both methods was found to be sufficient. The comparison of corneal thickness measurement (SEM-values) with specular microscopy and with Scheimpflugbiometry failed to show a satisfactory correlation. The study proves that specular microscopy is a useful tool to document changes also in the endothelium of the rat-cornea.

Animals↗

[Identification of chlamydia and (or) chlamydia-like microorganisms by light microscopy confirmed by electron microscopy and fluorescent in situ hybridization].

Using light microscopy, we have shown that chlamydia and/or chlamydia-like microorganisms are registered in 20-25% of the healthy part of human population, whereas in patients of the same age with gynecological problems these were found in 40-50%. Commonly, the infection was slightly manifested (less than 5% of cells are infected). These results were confirmed in four months but only in heavily infected patients. The light microscope data are confirmed by observations with electron microscopy, and by FISH hybridization of the total chlamydial DNA on cytological preparations with chlamydial inclusions. In some cases, microcolonies revealed by FISH hybridization occupied the majority of the cytoplasm volume. Occasionally, the DNA material was found on the nuclear surface. It seems likely that in heavily infected cells chlamydia are able to penetrate into the perinucular space.

Chlamydia↗

Human cumulus cell complexes studied in vitro by light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy.

Various researchers describe the morphology of cumulus cells (CC) in vitro, but few have investigated their behaviour on plastic. Knowledge concerning the behaviour of human CC could be useful in improving the success of in vitro fertilisation procedures. This study aimed to describe the morphology and behaviour of CC in vitro and to investigate movement on a collagen-coated substrate. Following collection some cumulus were mechanically dissected from those surrounding the oocyte. Cumulus aggregates were cultured over 24 h using Earle's medium supplemented with 8% albumin. Substrata were plastic coverslips coated with collagens I, IV, or mixed collagens. Cumulus cultured over corresponding time periods on uncoated coverslips served as controls. Specimens were fixed and prepared for scanning electron microscopy. Over 24 h the controls began exhibiting the morphological features associated with cell movement: cell surface protrusions changed from blebs to microridges, lamellipodia and leading lamellae; cell shape altered from rounded and upright, to flattened. Extracellular matrix (ECM) transformed from a thick, sheet-like substance to a thin, fibrous material. By 24 h, cells contacting ECM remained rounded showing few features of movement. Collagens enhanced attachment of CC as a monolayer on the substrate. Cell morphology varied according to the collagen type used. On mixed collagens, cells attached rapidly, appearing to be predominantly non-motile. On collagen type I there was less attachment of cells but increased motility. On collagen type IV there was decreased attachment and the cells remained spherical. In conclusion, collagens enhance the settling of cumulus cells on a plastic substrate and the cells exhibit some specificity in attaching to collagens.

Adult↗

Macromolecular substructure in nuclear pore complexes by in-lens field-emission scanning electron microscopy.

Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) has produced a wealth of novel images that have significantly complemented our perception of biological structure and function, derived initially from transmission electron microscopy (TEM) information. SEM is a surface imaging technology, and its impact at the subcellular level has been restricted by reduced resolution in comparison with TEM. Recently, SEM resolution has been considerably improved by the advent of high-brightness sources used in field-emission instruments (FEISEM) which have produced resolution of around 1 nm, virtually equivalent to TEM "working resolution." Here we review our findings in the use of FEISEM in the imaging of nuclear envelopes and their associated structures, such as nuclear pore complexes, and the relationships of structure and function. FEISEM allows the structurally orientated cell biologist to visualise, directly and in three dimensions, subcellular structure and its modulation with a view to understanding its functional significance.

Animals↗

[Study of cellular elements in synovial fluid in scanning electron microscopy].

Scanning electron microscopy allows a tridimensional morphological study of the cellular elements of the pathological human synovial fluid. The cells are grouped into two populations: macrophage cells and round cells, whose differentiation is more difficult: polynuclears, lymphocytes and synovial cells. The combination of scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction makes it possible to describe and indentify crystals of sodium urate and of triclinical, dehydrated calcium pyrophosphate.

Arthritis, Rheumatoid↗

The effects of various nucleotides on the structure of actin-attached myosin subfragment-1 studied by quick-freeze deep-etch electron microscopy.

Stereo electron microscopy of negatively stained images showed that myosin heads in acto-subfragment-1 (S1) covalently cross-linked with 1-ethyl-3-[3-(dimethylamino)propyl]carbodiimide were predominantly short and round when ATP was added, in contrast to their uniform tilted appearance in the rigor state. As an attempt to exclude molecules which were actually dissociated but still tethered to actin by artificial cross-links, quick-freeze deep-etch electron microscopy was coupled with the mica flake method to observe uncross-linked native acto-S1 in the presence of ATP. To maintain the low affinity S1 associated to actin in the presence of ATP, a high concentration of acto-S1 was applied to mica flakes whose absorption had been chemically modified. The image of acto-S1 with added ATP agreed well with the expected time-course of reversible dissociation and reassociation, confirming the applicability of this approach to examination of the structural changes of acto-S1. S1 molecules attached to F-actin under rigor conditions or in the presence of ADP were elongated, with the long axis tilted to F-actin. Actin-attached S1 became short and round upon addition of ATP or ADP-inorganic vanadate. Adenyl-5'-yl imidodiphosphate and inorganic pyrophosphate each partially dissociated S1 from actin, as expected.

Actins↗

A method for isolation of plasmid DNA replication intermediates from unsynchronized bacterial cultures for electron microscopy analysis.

Electron microscopy is a powerful technique for analysis of DNA replication intermediates. However, isolation of replicating DNA molecules from living cells is tricky and difficult, especially in the case of small DNA molecules (such as bacterial plasmids) whose initiation of replication is not easily synchronized. Here a relatively simple and rapid method for efficient isolation of replicating plasmid molecules from unsynchronized Escherichia coli cultures is described. The efficiency of this procedure is high enough for electron microscopy analysis of plasmid replication intermediates appearing in living cells in normal growth conditions. Under optimal conditions, using standard procedures of isolation of plasmid DNA, it is possible to achieve a content of only as few as 0.02 percent of replication intermediates in a plasmid DNA sample. The described method allowed us to enrich up to 100-fold the fraction of replication intermediates suitable for microscopic analysis among all plasmid molecules.

Cell Cycle↗

Successive changes in the epimural bacterial community of young lambs as revealed by scanning electron microscopy.

Scanning electron microscopy was used to determine the time of initial colonization of the rumen epithelium of young lambs and successive changes with time in the morphological composition of the epimural community. Tissue samples were obtained from two groups of lambs at 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 weeks of age. Comparisons were made with the epimural communities observed at 12 well-distributed sites in the rumen of a mature wether. Epimural bacteria were already present on the epithelium at 1 week of age. The morphological composition of the epimural community changed with age, with the pattern of succession being similar in both groups of lambs. A total of 24 morphotypes were distinguished by scanning electron microscopy; 17 were rod shaped, 4 were cocci, 2 were spiral, and 1 was filamentous. These morphotypes were further subdivided into: (i) those persisting after their initial colonization in young lambs and present in the adult (7 morphotypes), (ii) those seen only in the adult (2 morphotypes), and (iii) those present only in young lambs (15 morphotypes). The seven morphotypes present in both the lamb and the adult could be considered indigenous members of the epimural community. Several morphotypes appeared restricted in their colonization to certain regions of the papillae, suggesting the presence of microhabitats within the epithelial habitat. Two rod-shaped bacteria were repeatedly seen specifically attached to one another, suggesting an interspecific association.

Aging↗

XY (h-y+) gonadal dysgenesis. Morphological examination of 4 cases by light and electron microscopy.

The gonads of 4 phenotypically female individuals with XY chromosomal constitution and signs of virilisation were examined by light microscopy. Electron microscopic examination was also performed in two cases. Serological analysis of H-Y antigen titer yielded positive results. The matrix of the gonads is shown to be ovarian stroma, in which tubular and follicular structures are embedded. The epithelia of the follicles resemble granulosa cells of the ovary, the tubular epithelia are resemble Sertoli cells. Tubules and follicles both show extensive regressive changes. A varying number of Leyding cells/stroma lutein cells were found in each gonad. The different degree of development of testicular and ovarian structures in the dysgenetic gonads might be explained by a defect of the gonadal specific receptor for the H-Y antigen, this defect varying in time of occurrence, duration and severity.

Adult↗

A study of phase separation in peptide-loaded HPMC films using T(zero)-modulated temperature DSC, atomic force microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy.

Despite the widespread use of drug-loaded polymeric systems, there is still considerable uncertainty with regard to the nature of the distribution of the drug within the polymer matrix. The aim of this investigation was to develop thermal and microscopic techniques whereby the miscibility and spatial distribution of a model peptide, cyclosporin A (CyA), in hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) films may be studied. The new technique of T(zero)-modulated temperature differential scanning calorimetry (T(zero) MTDSC), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and pulse force mode atomic force microscopy (PFM-AFM) were used in conjunction to study films prepared using a solvent evaporation process, with a solvent extraction study performed to elucidate the nature of the observed phases. T(zero) MTDSC studies showed glass transitions for both the HPMC and CycA, with the T(g) for the HPMC and CycA seen for the mixed systems. SEM showed two spherical phases of differing electron density. PFM-AFM also showed spheres of differing adhesion that increased in size on addition of drug. Pixel intensity analysis indicated that the smaller spheres corresponded to CycA. Exposure of the films to dichloromethane, in which CycA is soluble but HPMC is not, resulted in the presence of voids that corresponded well to the spheres suggested to correspond to the drug. It was concluded that the system had undergone extensive or complete phase separation, and that the thermal and microscopic techniques outlined above are an effective means by which this issue may be studied.

Calorimetry, Differential Scanning↗