Letter | Published:

Autoradiography of Biological Tissues in the Scanning Electron Microscope

Nature 247, 383–385 (1974) | Download Citation

Subjects

Abstract

AUTORADIOGRAPHY combined with light or transmission electron microscopy has become a very valuable tool in biological research1,2. Light microscope (LM) autoradiographic resolution is, however, limited by the resolving power of the optical system. A ten to twenty times improvement in autoradiographic resolution (up to 50 to 70 nm) can be obtained in the transmission electron microscope (TEM) but a number of physical factors limit the system1,2 including the size and the sensitivity of the photographic emulsion silver halide crystal and the grain-size. Further, ultrathin TEM sections limit detection of radioactive material in labelled specimens by the very small fraction of total incorporated radioactivity present in such sections. This leads to a practical limitation of TEM autoradiography for, in addition to the already time-consuming preparation of ultrathin sections, high levels of radioactive labelling and long exposure times (about ten times that of LM autoradiography) must in general be used to compensate for the low efficiency of the procedure.

Access optionsAccess options

Rent or Buy article

Get time limited or full article access on ReadCube.

from$8.99

Rent or Buy

All prices are NET prices.

References

  1. 1

    Rogers, A. W., Techniques of Autoradiography (Elsevier Scientific Publishing Co., Amsterdam, 1973).

    • 2

      Jacob, J., Int. Rev. Cytol., 30, 91 (1971).

    • 3

      Paul, D., Gröbe, A., and Zimmer, F., Nature, 227, 488 (1970).

    • 4

      Hodges, G. M., Muir, M. D., and Spacey, G., SEM/IITRI, 6, 589 (1973).

    • 5

      Pachter, B. R., Penha, D., Davidowitz, J., and Breinin, G. M., SEM/IITRI, 6, 387 (1973).

    • 6

      Messier, B., and Leblond, C. P., Proc. Soc. exp. Biol. Med., 96, 7 (1957).

    • 7

      Revel, J. P., and Hay, E. D., Expl. Cell Res., 25, 474 (1961).

    • 8

      Metz, H. J., J. Photogr. Soc., 20, 111 (1972).

    • 9

      Mueller, W. E., Photographic Processing (edit. by Cox, R. J.), 285 (Academic Press, London and New York, 1973).

      • 10

        Gross, W., Photographic Processing (edit. by Cox, R. J.) 291 (Academic Press, London and New York, 1973).

        • 11

          Kopriwa, B. M., J. Histochem. Cytochem., 15, 501 (1967).

        • 12

          Price, C. W., and Johnson, D. W., SEM/IITRI, 4, 145 (1971).

        • 13

          Oatley, C. W., The Scanning Electron Microscope, Part I, 153 (Cambridge University Press, 1972).

          • 14

            Gibbard, D., Quantitative Scanning Electron Microscopy (edit. by Holt, D. B., Muir, M. D., Grant, P., and Bosswarva, I.) (Academic Press, London and New York, in the press).

            Download references

            Author information

            Affiliations

            1. Department of Cellular Pathology, Imperial Cancer Research Fund, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, WC2

              • GISELE M. HODGES

            2. Department of Geology, Royal School of Mines, Imperial College, London, SW7

              • MARJORIE D. MUIR

            Authors

            1. Search for GISELE M. HODGES in:

            2. Search for MARJORIE D. MUIR in:

            To obtain permission to re-use content from this article visit RightsLink.

            About this article

            Publication history

            Received

            Revised

            Issue Date

            DOI

            https://doi.org/10.1038/247383a0

            Further reading

            Comments

            By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.