Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 13, 2026

Correlative Light- and Electron Microscopy Using Quantum Dot Nanoparticles
Published on: August 7, 2016
Silver amplification of mercury sulfide and selenide: a histochemical method for light and electron microscopic
Abstract:
A method for light and electron microscopic demonstration of mercury sulfides and mercury selenides in mammalian tissue is presented. Silver ions adhering to the surface of submicroscopic traces of mercury sulfides or selenides in the tissue are reduced to metallic silver by hydroquinone. Physical development thereupon renders deposits of mercury sulfides or mercury selenide visible as spheres of solid silver. Examples of localization of mercury in the central nervous system and various organs from animals exposed to mercury chloride or methyl mercury chloride with or without additional sodium selenide treatment are presented. Selenium treatment results in a considerable increase in the amount of mercury that can be made visible by silver amplification. After mercury chloride treatment, most of the mercury is localized in lysosomes and is only rarely seen in secretory granules. After simultaneous selenium treatment, mercury is also found in nuclei of proximal tubule cells in the kidney and in macrophages. The "sulfide-osmium" method for ultrastructural localization of mercury suggested by Silberberg, Lawrence, and Leider (Arch Environ Health 19:7, 1969) and the light microscopic method using a photographic emulsion suggested by Umeda, Saito, and Saito (Jpn J Exp Med 39:17, 1969) have been experimentally analyzed and commented on.
Related Concept Videos
Fixation and Sectioning
The simplest type of preparation is the wet mount, in which the specimen is placed in a drop of liquid on the slide. A liquid specimen can be directly deposited on the slide using a dropper. Solid specimens, such as skin scraping, can be placed on the slide before adding a drop of liquid to prepare the wet mount. Sometimes the liquid is simply water, but stains are often added...
Scanning Electron Microscopy
Fundamental Principles
Accelerated...
Preparation of Samples for Electron Microscopy
Immunogold Electron Microscopy

