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A simple technique for preparation of bone marrow or peripheral blood buffy coat cells for electron microscopy
A E Mills1, M Emms, S G Licata
1Department of Pathology, Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa.
Abstract:
A simple and rapid method of processing ethylene-diamine-tetra-acetic acid anticoagulated peripheral blood or aspirated bone marrow for electron microscopy is described. The resultant buffy coat pellet is easily processed into epoxy resin. Semithin sections (1 mu) stained with 1% toluidine blue reveal the various stratified cell layers allowing convenient selection for ultramicrotomy and ultrastructural evaluation.
Insights
A new method simplifies processing blood and bone marrow for electron microscopy. This technique allows for easy selection of cells for detailed ultrastructural analysis.
Area of Science:
- Hematology
- Microscopy Techniques
Background:
- Electron microscopy requires specialized sample preparation.
- Processing blood and bone marrow for ultrastructural analysis can be time-consuming.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe a simple and rapid method for processing peripheral blood and bone marrow for electron microscopy.
- To facilitate convenient cell selection for ultrastructural evaluation.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing ethylene-diamine-tetra-acetic acid (EDTA) anticoagulated blood or bone marrow.
- Processing the buffy coat pellet into epoxy resin.
- Sectioning at 1 mu and staining with 1% toluidine blue.
Main Results:
- The described method is simple and rapid.
- The buffy coat pellet is easily processed into epoxy resin.
- Semithin sections allow for convenient identification and selection of cells for ultramicrotomy.
Conclusions:
- This method provides an efficient way to prepare blood and bone marrow samples for electron microscopy.
- The technique aids in the ultrastructural evaluation of various stratified cell layers.