Treating SEM samples - (Mar/30/2012 )

HI,

I have (hopefully) biofilm growing on a graphite electrode and want to image it using SEM, is fixation and dehydrate absolutely necessary before imaging, and if so is there is good method that can be used as to not disrupt the cells?

thanks!

Hi,

yes fixation and dehydration are necessary for imaging the samples in electron microscope. As far as I know, for different kind of cells or samples, different methods are used. If it is about biofilm, you should check if there are some reports in the literature. The kind of sample I used in my experiments , the fixation was done using 25% glutaraldehyde vapors.

amj2