Dynamic morphology of erythrocytes revealed by cryofixation technique

This article summarizes our research on the morphology of dynamically changed erythrocyte shapes, as revealed by electron microscopy with cryofixation techniques. Cryofixation is a better way to immobilize functioning morphology in cells and tissues than conventional fixation methods because of faster freezing time. Our cryofixation techniques were used to detect erythrocyte shapes in flow and ultrastructural changes of membrane skeletal components. This required that we develop some new preparation techniques which we called, erythrocyte-splitting method, in vivo cryotechnique or in vitro cryotechnique for erythrocytes. By using various combinations of these cryofixation techniques with freeze-fracturing, freeze-substitution or deep-etching method, the native morphology of erythrocytes under various physiological or pathological conditions could be assessed by scanning or transmission electron microscopy.