Liver Tissue Preparation Using a Modified Cryoultramicrotomy Kit

摘要

The great potential of cryoultramicrotomy is that it is possible to observe the morphology of a sample in the electron microscope and at the same time analyze for its elemental composition using x-ray microanalysis. There are other methods using indirect means of studying the chemical composition of cell organelles, such as digestion and centrifugation, but this is the only direct method. This unique ability will make cryoultramicrotomy a vital tool in the field of cell biology and pathology in the near future. The authors' own avenue of interest is the quantitative analyses of diffusible elements in the mitochondria of rat liver before and after the exposure of toxins both singularly and in mixtures. To obtain reliable and reproducible data it is critical that each step in the technique be carried out correctly. Any deviation in any of the steps will leave the final results in doubt.