Freeze Substitution Accelerated via Agitation: New Prospects for Ultrastructural Studies of Lichen Symbionts and Their Extracellular Matrix.

ABSTRACT: (1) Background: Lichens, as an important part of the terrestrial ecosystem, attract the attention of various research disciplines. To elucidate their ultrastructure, transmission electron microscopy of resin-embedded samples is indispensable. Since most observations of lichen samples are generated via chemical fixation and processing at room temperature, they lack the rapid immobilization of live processes and are prone to preparation artefacts. To improve their preservation, cryoprocessing was tested in the past, but never widely implemented, not least because of an extremely lengthy protocol. (2) Methods: Here, we introduce an accelerated automated freeze substitution protocol with continuous agitation. Using the example of three lichen species, we demonstrate the preservation of the nat

SUBMITTER: Reipert S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10708280 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature