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A Simple and Efficient Method to Observe Internal Structures of Helminths by Scanning Electron Microscopy

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 October 2013

Fernando Antônio de O. Adnet ,
Júlia P. Gonçalves ,
Wanderley de Souza  and
Márcia Attias
Fernando Antônio de O. Adnet
Affiliation:
Laboratório de Biologia de Helmintos Otto Wucherer, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Bloco G, Ilha do Fundão, 21949-900 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Laboratório de Ultraestrutura Celular Hertha Meyer, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Bloco G, Ilha do Fundão, 21949-900 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Júlia P. Gonçalves
Affiliation:
Laboratório de Biologia de Helmintos Otto Wucherer, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Bloco G, Ilha do Fundão, 21949-900 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Laboratório de Ultraestrutura Celular Hertha Meyer, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Bloco G, Ilha do Fundão, 21949-900 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Wanderley de Souza
Affiliation:
Laboratório de Ultraestrutura Celular Hertha Meyer, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Bloco G, Ilha do Fundão, 21949-900 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Instituto Nacional de Biologia Estrutural e Bioimagens, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Bloco G, Ilha do Fundão, 21949-900 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Instituto Nacional de Metrologia, Qualidade e Tecnologia-Inmetro Bloco G, Ilha do Fundão, 21949-900 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Márcia Attias*
Affiliation:
Laboratório de Ultraestrutura Celular Hertha Meyer, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Bloco G, Ilha do Fundão, 21949-900 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
*
*Corresponding author. E-mail: mattias@biof.ufrj.br; marciaattias@gmail.com
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Abstract

Morphological studies of helminths by scanning electron microscopy are generally limited to the external topography of the organisms. In this work, we present a simple technique using ethanol as a cryoprotectant without postfixation in osmium tetroxide that allows for observation of the inner organization of helminths and preserves cellular structures. We tested the technique in three helminths: Echinostoma paraensei, Cruzia tentaculata, and Hassalstrongylus epsilon. The results show that this technique could potentially be applied to study the morphology, ultrastructure, and taxonomy of helminths.

Keywords

cryofracturehelminthsSEMcryoprotectantnematodatrematoda
Type
Biomedical and Biological Applications
Information
Microscopy and Microanalysis , Volume 19 , Issue 6 , December 2013 , pp. 1470 - 1474
Copyright
Copyright © Microscopy Society of America 2013 

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