Application of backscattered electron imaging to enzyme histochemistry of lymphatic capillaries.
A backscattered electron imaging (BEI) in scanning electron microscope (SEM) was applied to the observation of lymphatic capillaries on cryostat-cut tissue blocks of monkey stomachs with enzyme-histochemical method. The differentiation of the lymphatics from blood capillaries was established on cryostat sections using 5'-nucleotidase (5'-Nase)-alkaline phosphatase double-staining method. On the tissue surface, 5'-Nase-positive lymphatic capillary walls were seen as highlights with good contrast and resolution by the BEI. A pair of the backscattered and secondary electron imaging in the same area clearly reveals the correlation between the enzyme activity and surface structure of the tissue. Observation of stereo-pairs of the BEIs increases the information on the three-dimensional architecture of lymphatic capillaries. The present study demonstrates the applicability of the BEI of 5'-Nase reaction to SEM histochemistry of lymphatic capillaries stained with heavy metal.
Department of Anatomy, Medical College of Otta, Japan.
S
S
Kato
M
M
Gotoh
D015720:5'-Nucleotidase; D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D006651:Histocytochemistry / Q000379:methods; D008208:Lymphatic System / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D008251:Macaca; D008297:Male; D008854:Microscopy, Electron / Q000379:methods; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning / Q000379:methods; D013194:Staining and Labeling; D013270:Stomach / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology / Q000648:ultrastructure
D015720:5'-Nucleotidase