Human fibroblast intracellular network prepared with digitonin for field emission scanning electron microscopy

Results obtained by extracting human fibroblast cells for the study of cytoskeletal structures are compared. Cells grown in culture were treated with digitonin in contrast to other methods of detergent preparation using Triton and Saponin. The three dimensional intracellular network which resulted from digitonin treatment was found to be similar in appearance to the structures observed by high voltage transmission electron microscopy of untreated cells described as a microtrabecular lattice by Porter and Tucker (1981). Our results, obtained by high resolution, field emission scanning electron microscopy indicate that the microtrabecular lattice may indeed be one conformation of a dynamic cytoskeleton.