Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 31, 2026
Validation of a Mouse Model to Disrupt LINC Complexes in a Cell-specific Manner
Published on: December 10, 2015
Specimen preparation of the human cerebellar cortex for scanning electron microscopy using a t-butyl alcohol
1Department of Anatomy and Anthropology, School of Medicine, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Kitakyushu City, Japan. hojo@med.uoeh-u.ac.jp
Abstract:
A freeze-drying device was applied to t-butyl alcohol substituted nerve cells, fibers and synaptic terminals. Ten percent formalin-fixed human cerebellar cortex specimens were postfixed in 2.5% glutaraldehyde in 0.1 M cacodylate buffer solution and were rinsed three times in 5% sucrose solution in the same buffer. After the postfixed specimens were dehydrated using a graded series of ethanols and then transferred into a graded series of t-butyl alcohols (freezing point 25.4 degrees C), the t-butyl alcohol substituted specimens were freeze-dried at 15 degrees C and at high vacuum (5 x 10(-2) Torr). The freeze-dried specimens were sputter coated with gold. Scanning electron microscopy revealed synaptic terminals on the surfaces of a Golgi cell and a small flat polygonal cell. Rough somatic surfaces of granule cells were also observed.
Related Concept Videos
01:03Fixation 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...
01:20Preparation of Samples for Electron Microscopy