title: Sample preparation to observe the straight and flat posture of silkworm embryo under scanning electron microscopy via glycerol substitution method.
abstract: In the preparation process for scanning electron microscopy (SEM), flexed silkworm embryos typically assume several curled shapes with irregular postures that obscure morphological details during SEM observation. We describe a preparation technique based on glycerol substitution for better SEM visualization of straight and flat silkworm embryos. Glycerol has high viscosity, low vapor pressure, and sufficient electrical conductivity. Silkworm embryos were infiltrated with glycerol and arranged in a straight posture or flattened using a cover slip. Samples were directly observed by SEM without additional dehydration, drying, or coating procedures. The complete ventral side could be easily viewed in one image. Recoating alleviated the charging phenomenon. This represents a simple method for preparation of straight and flat samples from curled biological specimens for SEM observation.
authors.affiliation: 1Department of Pharmaceutical and Biological Engineering,School of Chemical Engineering,Sichuan University,Chengdu 610065,China.
authors.forename: Wenbin
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: 1Department of Pharmaceutical and Biological Engineering,School of Chemical Engineering,Sichuan University,Chengdu 610065,China.
authors.forename: Chenzhao
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: 1Department of Pharmaceutical and Biological Engineering,School of Chemical Engineering,Sichuan University,Chengdu 610065,China.
authors.forename: Qi
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: 1Department of Pharmaceutical and Biological Engineering,School of Chemical Engineering,Sichuan University,Chengdu 610065,China.
authors.forename: Zhixin
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Lei
authors.affiliation: 1Department of Pharmaceutical and Biological Engineering,School of Chemical Engineering,Sichuan University,Chengdu 610065,China.
authors.forename: Yanqi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hou
authors.affiliation: 2State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology,Southwest University,Chongqing 400716,China.
authors.forename: Fangyin
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Dai
authors.affiliation: 2State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology,Southwest University,Chongqing 400716,China.
authors.forename: Cheng
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D012831:Bombyx / Q000502:physiology*; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian / Q000502:physiology; D004772:Entomology / Q000379:methods*; D005990:Glycerol / Q000378:metabolism; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning / Q000379:methods*; D011187:Posture
chemical_list: D005990:Glycerol