Fracture-flip: new high-resolution images of cell surfaces after carbon stabilization of freeze-fractured membranes.
We introduce fracture-flip, a method of obtaining high-resolution views of membrane surfaces. The method, a corollary of label-fracture, is based on the stabilization of the exoplasmic halves of membranes by carbon evaporation. Inversion of these casts followed by Pt/C imaging leads to new views of the cell surface at macromolecular resolution.
Andersson Forsman
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C
Membrane Biology Section, National Cancer Institute-Frederick Cancer Research Facility, MD 21701.
Pinto da Silva
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P
D000818:Animals; D001773:Blood Cells / Q000648:ultrastructure; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002244:Carbon; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D004848:Epithelium / Q000648:ultrastructure; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005614:Freeze Fracturing / Q000379:methods; D006651:Histocytochemistry / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007422:Intestines / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains
D002244:Carbon