An Overview of Cryo-Scanning Electron Microscopy Techniques for Plant Imaging

Many research questions require the study of plant morphology, in particular cells and tissues, as close to their native context as possible and without physical deformations from some preparatory chemical reagents or sample drying. Cryo-scanning electron microscopy (cryoSEM) involves rapid freezing...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Plants (Basel) 2022-04, Vol.11 (9), p.1113
Main Author: Wightman, Raymond
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
cell wall
Cooling
cryo
Cytology
Drying
Electron beams
Freezing
hydration
Imaging
Low temperature
Morphogenesis
Morphology
Plant morphology
plant–microbe interactions
Reagents
Review
Sample preparation
Scanning electron microscopy
Sensors
Ultrastructure
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Summary:Many research questions require the study of plant morphology, in particular cells and tissues, as close to their native context as possible and without physical deformations from some preparatory chemical reagents or sample drying. Cryo-scanning electron microscopy (cryoSEM) involves rapid freezing and maintenance of the sample at an ultra-low temperature for detailed surface imaging by a scanning electron beam. The data are useful for exploring tissue/cell morphogenesis, plus an additional cryofracture/cryoplaning/milling step gives information on air and water spaces as well as subcellular ultrastructure. This review gives an overview from sample preparation through to imaging and a detailed account of how this has been applied across diverse areas of plant research. Future directions and improvements to the technique are discussed.
ISSN:2223-7747
2223-7747
DOI:10.3390/plants11091113