Cryomicrotomy applied to the preparation of frozen hydrated muscle tissue for transmission electron microscopy

Abstract
SUMMARY: A method is described by which frozen hydrated bovine muscle is prepared for the transmission electron microscope. The importance of maintaining specimen temperatures at −110°C (163°K), or below, during the preparation of frozen thin sections and during specimen transfer and microscopical observations is emphasized and documented.Electron micrographs of a section of muscle were followed through three levels of dehydration. Electron micrographs of frozen hydrated muscle were compared with micrographs of fixed and embedded muscle. In general, the micromorphology of muscle prepared by the two methods was found to be quite similar.