New application of air-drying techniques for studying Ephemeroptera and Plecoptera eggs by scanning electron microscopy.
Hexamethyldisilizane (HMDS) and tetramethylsilane are organic compounds that are volatile at ambient temperature and which can therefore be used for air-drying biological samples for SEM studies. The techniques using these compounds provide results that are comparable with those obtained by critical point drying, but which involve a very simple process that saves time and money. Both techniques were applied to SEM studies of Ephemeroptera and Plecoptera eggs in order to assess their suitability as alternative methods to critical point drying for these kinds of biological material. The results show no morphological differences between eggs HMDS air-dried and critical point-dried.
Ubero-Pascal
Nicolás
N
Departamento de Zoología y Antropología Física, Facultad de Biología, Universidad de Murcia, Campus de Espinardo s/n, 30100 Espinardo-Murcia, Spain. nubero@um.es
Fortuño
José Manuel
JM
de Los Angeles Puig
María
M
D000818:Animals; D003890:Desiccation / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D016591:Histocytological Preparation Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D007313:Insecta / Q000254:growth & development / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning / Q000379:methods; D017646:Organosilicon Compounds; D010063:Ovum / Q000648:ultrastructure; D012821:Silanes; D014297:Trimethylsilyl Compounds
D017646:Organosilicon Compounds; D012821:Silanes; D014297:Trimethylsilyl Compounds; C073196:tetramethylsilane; C024548:hexamethylsilazane