title: Evaluation of fixation methods for ultrastructural study of Caenorhabditis elegans embryos.
abstract: Various fixation methods for transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were tested on Caenorhabditis elegans embryos. By combining various techniques, using 3.4% chitinase in combination with 1% alpha-chymotripsin, we were able to establish a new fixation procedure that for the first time preserves both membranes and internal cellular ultrastructure of C. elegans embryos in different stages of development. This unique procedure will enable a hitherto unattainable standard for TEM research of C. elegans embryos. Sectioning of specific developmental stages fixed with this method allows a detailed study of ultrastructural aspects of embryogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Zoology, University of Gent, Gent, Belgium. Bart.Vancoppenolle@rug.ac.be
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Vancoppenolle
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Claeys
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Borgonie
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tytgat
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Coomans
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000196:embryology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D008854:Microscopy, Electron / Q000379:methods*; D016707:Tissue Fixation