A simple method for removing stain precipitates from biological sections for transmission electron microscopy.

Area of Science:

• Electron microscopy techniques
• Biological sample preparation
• Materials science

Background:

• Lead salts and uranyl acetate are common stains in electron microscopy.
• Stain precipitates can obscure cellular structures in ultrathin sections.
• Effective precipitate removal is crucial for accurate ultrastructural analysis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify a method for removing stain precipitates from biological samples.
• To evaluate the efficacy of glacial acetic acid for precipitate removal.

Main Methods:

• Application of 10% aqueous glacial acetic acid to ultrathin sections.
• Observation of treated sections using transmission electron microscopy.

Main Results:

• 10% aqueous glacial acetic acid effectively removed stain precipitates.
• Precipitates originating from lead salt or double staining (uranyl acetate and lead citrate) were resolved.
• Ultrastructural details were preserved after treatment.

Conclusions:

• 10% aqueous glacial acetic acid is a simple and effective solution for removing common stain precipitates in electron microscopy.
• This technique improves the quality of imaging for biological samples.