Scanning Electron Microscopy of Normal and Pathological Human Erythrocytes

Abstract

The first scanning electron micrograph of erythrocytes seems to be that of PEASE and HAYES published in 1966. More advanced and detailed studies were made by CLARKE and SALSBURY (1967) and CLARKE (1967, see also CLARKE, SALSBURY and ROWLAND, 1968). These authors observed under the scanning electron microscope not only normal human erythrocytes but also pathological forms, e. g., red cells showing patchy denudation of the cell membrane after splenectomy, target cells and other irregular forms in thalassemia major, and typical deformities in sickle cell anemia, hereditary elliptocytosis and other hematological diseases.The present paper attempts a methodological analysis for the application of scanning electron microscopy to hematology with special reference to the osmotic effects of fixation, which has been performed by none of the previous authors as far as is known. It further aims to describe the detailed surface structure of normal human erythrocytes and their changes in some pathological conditions such as elliptocytosis, spherocytosis and aplastic anemia.

A Simple Method of Ion-Etching for Biological Materials. An Application to Blood Cells and Spermatozoa

“…Either after postfixation in 1% OsO4 or without this prodecure, the cells were dehydrated in acetone to be air-dried on glass slides (TOKUNAGA et al, 1969). Some specimens were emulsified in amyl acetate and dropped on glass.…”

Glycerinated Glycol Methacrylate Mounting Medium in Highlighting Non-Coated or Glycerin-Substituted Microsamples under the Scanning Electron Microscope

“…The human blood cells were obtained by centrifugation of the venous blood of a healthy 37-year-old man and fixed for 6 hrs with 1.0% glutaraldehyde in a 0.1M phosphate buffer (pH 7.4) (TOKUNAGA et al, 1969). They were treated as follows; (1) dehydrated as usual through a graded series of alcohol and isoamyl acetate and dried in a critical point drier (HCP-1) using carbon dioxide (HATTORI, 1972;AL-SAMARRAI, 1975), (2) intensely osmicated by the revised tannin-osmium method (MU-RAKAMI, 1974) and dried in the critical point drier after dehydration with alcohol and isoamyl acetate, or (3) immersed in a graded series of glycerin and suspended, without drying, in glycerin (cf.…”

A Scanning Electron Microscope Study on Hemostatic Reaction. Early Hemostatic Plug Formation and the Effect of Aspirin

“…Vigorous bleeding was allowed for various periods (1, 5, 15, 30 and 45sec) of time. After the interval the following three procedures were done in two or three sec: 1) the artery was ligatured proximal to the stabbed portion and 2) a fixative (1% glutaraldehyde in 0.1M phosphate buffer pH7.4, which is employed in our laboratories after basic experiments on its effects on blood cells; TOKUNAGA et al, 1969;HATTORI et al, 1975), containing one-tenth volume of 3.8% citrate was infused by a needle injected between the ligature and the perforations, and 3) the distal site of the artery was ligatured.…”