1987 Volume 80 Issue 3 Pages 477-491
The present study demonstrates the advantages of back scattered electron images in scanning electron microscopic (SEM) observations of the upper respiratory mucosa. From the atomic number contrast in the back scattered electron signals, the cellular components and their locations can be visualized by staining or incubating with heavy metals.
The location of the acid glycoconjugates of the basement membrane of the nasal mucosa stained with Ruthenium Red is revealed in the back scattered electron mode and can be represented in a three dimensional structure by color SEM. A paired back scattered electron image and conventional secondary electron image is useful for the observation of the three dimensional structure and cytochemical components of the upper respiratory mucosa.
Through the back scattered electron mode, cellular activity can be detected. Human neutrophils isolated from nasal secretions were incubated with iron carbonyl particles. The surface structures were observed in the secondary electron image, and the ingested iron carbonyl particles of the same neutrophils were detected in the back scattered electron image. The back scattered electron mode of the scanning electron microscope appears to be very useful in the clarification of the correlation between the surface morphology and phagocytic activity of neutrophils and as a new morphometric indicator of the defence mechanism.
