Use of low temperature SEM to locate free water in frozen, hydrated seed tissues of Glycine max (Leguminosae)

Low temperature field emission electron microscopy was used to determine the location of free water in soybean seeds. Frozen, hydrated soybean seeds were fractured, the water etched from the fractured surface, and then part of the etched surface was refractured. The resulting surface, which containe...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inAmerican journal of botany Vol. 83; no. 5
Main Authors Yaklich, R.W. (Soybean and Alfalfa Research Laboratory, USDA, ARS, Beltsville, MD.), Wergin, W.P, Erbe, E.F
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published 01.05.1996
Subjects
AIR
AIRE
ESTRUCTURA CELULAR
GLYCINE MAX
GRAINE
HIDRATACION
HYDRATATION
METHODE
METODOS
MICROSCOPIA
MICROSCOPIE
REGIME THERMIQUE DU SOL
REGIMEN TERMICO DEL SUELO
RELACIONES PLANTA AGUA
RELATION PLANTE EAU
SEMILLA
STRUCTURE CELLULAIRE
TEMPERATURA
TEMPERATURE
ULTRAESTRUCTURA
ULTRASTRUCTURE
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Summary:Low temperature field emission electron microscopy was used to determine the location of free water in soybean seeds. Frozen, hydrated soybean seeds were fractured, the water etched from the fractured surface, and then part of the etched surface was refractured. The resulting surface, which contained a freeze-fractured face as well as a freeze-etched face was coated with platinum and viewed on the cryostage of a low temperature field emission electron microscope. Two surfaces could be viewed simultaneously to determine the location of water in the seed tissue. Viewing the fractured surface gave an indication of the extent of hydration of the tissue. Viewing the etched surface detailed the macro- and microanatomy of the tissue. Viewing the intersection between the fractured and etched surfaces allowed observation of the environment of partially etched cells and organelles. The technique avoids artifacts associated with chemical fixation, dehydration, and critical-point drying, procedures that affect the water content of the seed. The technique does not affect the degree of hydration of the seed and can be used to localize water in the inter- and intracellular environment of the seed. This technique could find wide application in studies of water relationships of seeds during development, maturation, and imbibition
Bibliography:F50
F60
9700528
ISSN:0002-9122
1537-2197
DOI:10.1002/j.1537-2197.1996.tb12738.x