[Scanning probe microscopy for the study of morphological parameters of neutrophilic granulocytes]

Morphological parameters of human blood neutrophilic granulocytes were studied by scanning probe microscopy. The basic morphological characteristics of the living (unfixed) and fixed cells were compared. It was found that using the method described, the dimensions of the cells changed substantially and significantly depending upon the mode of fixation applied. The methanol fixation allowed to demonstrate the internal structure of a cell, though it sharply deformed the object of study. After glutaraldehyde fixation cells possessed the morphological characteristics similar to those of the living cells, but the diameter and height of the fixed cells were again different from those of living cells. The resolution of a scanning probe microscope was higher when the fixed cells were studied, permitting the visualization of a detailed cell structure, including the nucleus and cytoplasmic granules (in particular, when methanol fixation was used). However, this method of study is unreliable for the determination of cell dimensions (diameter and height).