SPECIMEN PREPARATION EQUIPMENT

DESCRIPTION
 

Several equipments for the preparation of samples for electron microscopy are available.

• Routinely, we do embedding in Spurr for light and electron microscopy of cells and tissues (1-Spurrblocks);
• For light microscopy, semi-thin sections (1µm) were cut by a glass knife (2-Knifemaker) on the ultramicrotome (3-Microtomie);
• For transmission electron microscopy, ultra-thin sections (100nm) were cut with a diamond knife (blue part in 4-Microtomie);
• For scanning electron microscopy, we have a critical point dryer (5-CPD) for drying cells on coverslips or tissue fragments; these can then be coated with a 10nm gold layer (6-Coater);
• The coater equipment can also be used to clean surfaces by glow-discharge or preparing Platinum-Carbon replicas of cells in culture.

APPLICATIONS

Sample preparation for transmission and scanning electron microscopy.

COSTS & CONTACTS

• Cost:  CPD and Coater, 25€ / h; rest of equipment, free of charge.
• Contact: Patrick Van Der Smissen or Donatienne Tyteca