Visualisation of microalgal lipid bodies through electron microscopy.
J Microsc
; 293(2): 118-131, 2024 Feb.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-38149687
ABSTRACT
In this study, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and cryo-scanning electron microscopy (cryo-SEM) were evaluated for their ability to detect lipid bodies in microalgae. To do so, Phaeodactylum tricornutum and Nannochloropsis oculata cells were harvested in both the mid-exponential and early stationary growth phase. Two different cryo-SEM cutting methods were compared cryo-planing and freeze-fracturing. The results showed that, despite the longer preparation time, TEM visualisation preceded by cryo-immobilisation allows a clear detection of lipid bodies and is preferable to cryo-SEM. Using freeze-fracturing, lipid bodies were rarely detected. This was only feasible if crystalline layers in the internal structure, most likely related to sterol esters or di-saturated triacylglycerols, were revealed. Furthermore, lipid bodies could not be detected using cryo-planing. Cryo-SEM is also not the preferred technique to recognise other organelles besides lipid bodies, yet it did reveal chloroplasts in both species and filament-containing organelles in cryo-planed Nannochloropsis oculata samples.
Palabras clave
Texto completo:
1
Colección:
01-internacional
Base de datos:
MEDLINE
Asunto principal:
Microalgas
Idioma:
En
Revista:
J Microsc
Año:
2024
Tipo del documento:
Article
País de afiliación:
Bélgica