High-Resolution Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM) Imaging of Cellulose Microfibril Organization in Plant Primary Cell Walls
Abstract
Abstract We have used field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) to study the high-resolution organization of cellulose microfibrils in onion epidermal cell walls. We frequently found that conventional “rule of thumb” conditions for imaging of biological samples did not yield high-resolution images of cellulose organization and often resulted in artifacts or distortions of cell wall structure. Here we detail our method of one-step fixation and dehydration with 100% ethanol, followed by critical point drying, ultrathin iridium (Ir) sputter coating (3 s), and FESEM imaging at a moderate accelerating voltage (10 kV) with an In-lens detector. We compare results obtained with our improved protocol with images obtained with samples processed by conventional aldehyde fixation, graded dehydration, sputter coating with Au, Au/Pd, or carbon, and low-voltage FESEM imaging. The results demonstrated that our protocol is simpler, causes little artifact, and is more suitable for high-resolution imaging of cell wall cellulose microfibrils whereas such imaging is very challenging by conventional methods.
- Authors:
- Publication Date:
- Research Org.:
- Energy Frontier Research Centers (EFRC) (United States). Center for Lignocellulose Structure and Formation (CLSF)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES) (SC-22)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 1469867
- DOE Contract Number:
- SC0001090
- Resource Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal Name:
- Microscopy and Microanalysis
- Additional Journal Information:
- Journal Volume: 23; Journal Issue: 05; Related Information: CLSF partners with Pennsylvania State University (lead); North Carolina State University; University of Rhode Island; Virginia Tech University; Journal ID: ISSN 1431-9276
- Publisher:
- Microscopy Society of America (MSA)
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- biofuels (including algae and biomass), bio-inspired, membrane, carbon sequestration, materials and chemistry by design, synthesis (self-assembly)
Citation Formats
Zheng, Yunzhen, Cosgrove, Daniel J., and Ning, Gang. High-Resolution Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM) Imaging of Cellulose Microfibril Organization in Plant Primary Cell Walls. United States: N. p., 2017.
Web. doi:10.1017/S143192761701251X.
Zheng, Yunzhen, Cosgrove, Daniel J., & Ning, Gang. High-Resolution Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM) Imaging of Cellulose Microfibril Organization in Plant Primary Cell Walls. United States. https://doi.org/10.1017/S143192761701251X
Zheng, Yunzhen, Cosgrove, Daniel J., and Ning, Gang. Thu .
"High-Resolution Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM) Imaging of Cellulose Microfibril Organization in Plant Primary Cell Walls". United States. https://doi.org/10.1017/S143192761701251X.
@article{osti_1469867,
title = {High-Resolution Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM) Imaging of Cellulose Microfibril Organization in Plant Primary Cell Walls},
author = {Zheng, Yunzhen and Cosgrove, Daniel J. and Ning, Gang},
abstractNote = {Abstract We have used field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) to study the high-resolution organization of cellulose microfibrils in onion epidermal cell walls. We frequently found that conventional “rule of thumb” conditions for imaging of biological samples did not yield high-resolution images of cellulose organization and often resulted in artifacts or distortions of cell wall structure. Here we detail our method of one-step fixation and dehydration with 100% ethanol, followed by critical point drying, ultrathin iridium (Ir) sputter coating (3 s), and FESEM imaging at a moderate accelerating voltage (10 kV) with an In-lens detector. We compare results obtained with our improved protocol with images obtained with samples processed by conventional aldehyde fixation, graded dehydration, sputter coating with Au, Au/Pd, or carbon, and low-voltage FESEM imaging. The results demonstrated that our protocol is simpler, causes little artifact, and is more suitable for high-resolution imaging of cell wall cellulose microfibrils whereas such imaging is very challenging by conventional methods.},
doi = {10.1017/S143192761701251X},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1469867},
journal = {Microscopy and Microanalysis},
issn = {1431-9276},
number = 05,
volume = 23,
place = {United States},
year = {2017},
month = {8}
}
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