Science Buddies: "Ask an Expert"

Hi! I was wondering what the proper procedure for preparing a specimen, in this case, a leaf was for scanning electron microscope (SEM) usage. I will be treating one plant to a solution and the other is my control. I understand the basics of using a sputter-coater and vacuuming, but for SPECIFICALLY observing changes in mitochondria is there a more specialized procedure? How exactly do you locate and isolate a cell when using an SEM? Should I use a cell-stain for the mitochondria? Which cell-stain is best for mitochondria under an SEM? Thank you!

Hello!


I found a link that I think will help.
https://coefs.uncc.edu/hzhang3/files/20 ... ctions.pdf

Safety tip: wear gloves at all times and never touch anything without gloves on. Be cautious of the hot plate and any sharp objects.

Let us know if you have any other questions!

Thank you this was very helpful! I was still wondering if there were slightly modified procedures to observe certain organelles in more depth (specifically mitochondria)? Is there maybe a different preparation for observing mitochondria? I've been having difficulty finding references for this, so attaching journal articles is alright, thank you!