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En bloc staining with hydroquinone treatment for block face imaging.

IntroductionBecause recent three-dimensional (3D) ultrastructural reconstruction techniques such as serial block face scanning electron microscopy (SBFSEM), obtain their images directly from the flat surface of specimens via material contrast[1], specimens should be strongly stained with heavy metals prior to resin embedding in order to obtain higher material contrast using backscattered electrons (BSEs). To enhance membrane contrast for block face imaging (BFI), we usually stain specimens using the method published by Deerinck[2], and the images obtained show TEM-like contrast.However, recently, our research subjects have required reconstruction of a much larger volume, increasing the total image acquisition time. To reduce the total acquisition time, both high sensitivity detectors and a new specimen preparation method that provides much higher contrast are required. Takahashi et al.[3] have reported that hydroquinone (HQ) treatment during traditional electro-conductive staining increases specimen conductivity and drastically reduces the charge problem for SEM observation. They concluded that HQ treatment might increase the efficiency of secondary electron (SE) generation. Because BFI can be performed using SE as well as BSE, we examined whether addition of HQ treatment to en bloc staining protocols increased the contrast for BFI using SE. Materials & methodsMouse liver tissue was used. Mice were deeply anesthetized by diethyl ether and sodium pentobarbital, and tissues were fixed by transcardial perfusion of 2% paraformaldehyde and 2.5% glutaraldehyde in 0.1 M cacodylate buffer (pH 7.4) through the left ventricle, followed by heparin-containing saline. After perfusion, liver tissues were removed and cut into small cubes approximately 1 mm(3) in the fixative, and were further fixed in the same fixative for 2 h at 4°C. Subsequently, en blocstaining was performed as follows: the specimens were treated using a reduced-OTO staining method (1.5% potassium ferrocyanide-2% OsO4, 1% thiocarbohydrazide, and then 2% OsO4). Subsequently, specimens were treated with 1% HQ solution. Some specimens were exempted from this step and used as controls. Specimens were further stained with 4% uranyl acetate and Walton's lead aspartate solution.After staining, specimens were dehydrated using an ethanol series and embedded in epoxy resin (EPON812, TAAB). Surface of specimens block were cut with a diamond knife, and the newly created flat surfaces of the specimens were coated with evaporated carbon (50 Å) and observed using a SEM (Quanta 3D FEG, FEI).ResultsThe HQ-treated specimens generated a larger amount of SEs than control specimens when subjected to irradiation with the same beam, although BSE numbers were not evidently increased by the treatment. The present results suggest that HQ treatment increases SE generation efficiency, but does not enhance the recruitment of heavy metals into specimens. HQ treatment increased the contrast-to-noise ratio of BFI for images obtained using SEs, and may reduce the total image acquisition time of recently developed 3D reconstruction methods based on SEM.