Application of cryotechniques in cartilage tissue preservation and immunoelectron microscopy: potentials and problems.
Cryotechnical processing of cartilage has the potential to solve many of the tissue-specific problems associated with various routine chemical fixation protocols. This is particularly the case with respect to extracellular matrix architecture, the distortion or destruction of which (caused by extraction and/or precipitation of proteoglycan molecules) may be prevented. Adoption of such techniques also permits high-sensitivity immunoelectron-microscopy of the extracellular matrix space (carbohydrate epitopes). However, a number of difficulties still remain to be resolved, particularly that of matrix-cell interface separation occurring during freeze substitution and low temperature embedding. These problems are briefly addressed and possible solutions outlined.
Hunziker
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M.E. Müller Institute for Biomechanics, University of Bern, Switzerland.
D000818:Animals; D002356:Cartilage / Q000166:cytology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D015925:Cryopreservation / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*; D016616:Cryoultramicrotomy / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005260:Female; D005613:Freeze Etching; D017110:Freeze Substitution; D006652:Histological Techniques; D016253:Microscopy, Immunoelectron / Q000379:methods; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar