Ultrastructural effects of perfomic acid oxidation of epoxy-embedded tissue with and without early uranyl staining

Epoxy-embedded blocks of glutaradehyde and OSO4 fixed adenohypophyseal tissue were immersed in performic acid, rinsed and sectioned for electron microscopy. Sections exhibited a general image intensity equivalent to control sections but their stainability with both uranyl acetate and lead citrate stains was increased. It was concluded that osmium was not removed by performic acid oxidation. Membranes of endoplasmic reticulum and the Golgi apparatus were not visible, and other components (acidophil granules, in particular) were markedly distored in shape after oxidation. Such changes, however, were not evident in specimens previously exposed to uranyl acetate during ethanol dehydration.