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Sample Preparation of Extracellular Matrix of Murine Colons for Scanning Electron Microscopy

Elee Shimshoni1, Irit Sagi2

  • 1Department of Biological Regulation, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel.

Methods in Molecular Biology (Clifton, N.J.)
|March 7, 2019
PubMed

Insights

This protocol details a method for preparing murine colon extracellular matrix for scanning electron microscopy. This technique enables high-resolution imaging of the extracellular matrix structure after cell removal.

Area of Science:

  • Biomaterials Science
  • Microscopy Techniques
  • Tissue Engineering

Background:

  • Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) is crucial for high-resolution morphological analysis of the extracellular matrix (ECM).
  • Effective SEM imaging of ECM in certain tissues necessitates prior cell removal.
  • Standardized protocols for ECM preparation are vital for reproducible results.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To present a detailed protocol for preparing murine colon extracellular matrix for SEM.
  • To enable high-resolution imaging of the colonic ECM structure.
  • To provide a reproducible method for researchers studying ECM morphology.

Main Methods:

  • Isolation of murine colon tissue.
  • Chemical and/or enzymatic treatment for cell removal.
  • Sample fixation and preparation for scanning electron microscopy.

Main Results:

  • Successful removal of cells from the murine colon ECM.
  • Preservation of ECM structural integrity post-preparation.
  • Generation of high-resolution SEM images of the colonic ECM.

Conclusions:

  • The described method effectively prepares murine colon ECM for SEM.
  • This protocol facilitates detailed morphological characterization of the colonic ECM.
  • The technique is valuable for research in tissue engineering and biomaterials science.
Keywords:
ColonDecellularizationExtracellular matrixScanning electron microscopeTissue

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