To examine the most suitable method to prepare pollen for scanning electron
microscope observation, several fixation methods and dehydration (or drying) methods were
applied to Arabidopsis and lily pollen obtained from flowers before and after flowering.
Light and confocal laser microscope observations revealed that, in both plants, pollen
obtained before flowering was swollen and wet, while that obtained after flowering was
shrunken and dry. For scanning electron microscopy, pollen was unfixed or fixed with 50%
(eventually 100%) acetone, FAA (5% formalin with 50% ethanol and 5% acetic acid) or 6%
glutaraldehyde solutions. It was then dried naturally in air or artificially by either critical
point-dry or freeze-dry machines, respectively. The results indicated that, for scanning
electron microscope observation of dry pollen, the most suitable treatment is natural drying
without fixation. On the other hand, to observe wet pollen, the combination of FAA or
glutaraldehyde fixation with artificial drying using either machines is preferable, and
fixation with acetone is unsuitable.
内容記述
テクニカルノート
雑誌名
Science Journal of Kanagawa University
巻
19
ページ
81 - 86
発行年
2008-06-30
ISSN
1880-0483
書誌レコードID
AA12068302
著者版フラグ
publisher
その他の言語のタイトル
Examination of the Most Suitable Preparation Method for Pollen Observation by Scanning Electron Microscope