Quantification of gold labeled cell surface antigens by SEM: Current progress and remaining problems

Abstract

Taking advantage of the high elemental contrast of particles of colloidal gold observed in the backscattered electron imaging(BEI) mode of the SEM (1,2), the human T lymphocyte was chosen as a model system to study the potential value of immunogold labeling for the quantification of cell surface expressed molecules. The CD3 antigen which is expressed on all human T lymphocytes and is readily identified by the LEU-4 murine monoclonal antibody (Becton Dickinson, Mountain View, CA) followed by a gold conjugated goat anti-mouse Ig polyclonal antibody was chosen as a model target antigen. When quantified by non-EM methods, using radio-iodinated probes or FACS analysis, approximately 30,000 to 50,000 copies of this antigen per cell are enumerated.The following observations were made while attempting to quantify the same molecule by SEM after specific immunogold labeling:Imaging in the SE vs BE mode: The numbers of gold markers counted in the secondary electron (SE) imaging mode are considerably lower than those counted on the same cells in the backscattered electron (BE) imaging mode.