title: The unit membrane, the endoplasmic reticulum, and the nuclear pores are artefacts.
abstract: It is shown on the basis of solid geometry that the trilaminar appearance of membranes described by Robertson must be an artefact, although the membranes themselves are not. However, considerations of solid geometry as well as observations on living cells indicate that the endoplasmic reticulum and nuclear pores are artefacts resulting from preparation for electron microscopy. Suggestions for their genesis are proposed.
mesh_terms: D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D004721:Endoplasmic Reticulum / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D005612:Freeze Drying; D008433:Mathematics; D008854:Microscopy, Electron / Q000379:methods; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009685:Nuclear Envelope / Q000648:ultrastructure*