Botanical Microtechnique

This book is an essential resource for anyone studying plants at the microscopic level. Providing detailed instructions and illustrations, the author guides the reader through the techniques of botanical microtechnique, from sample preparation to slide mounting. Whether you're a botanist, a student, or simply interested in the natural world, this book is an invaluable guide for those who want to explore the world of plants in greater detail. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

Plant microtechnique has generated renewed interest in recent years, due in part to the need for molecular biologists to visualize a gene or gene product in the context of the whole plant. Plant Microtechnique and Microscopy offers uniquely in-depth coverage of this reinvigorated field. Thoroughly covering classical aspects of microscope slide preparation, it goes a step beyond all other available manuals by also documenting the theory and practice of modern applications. The text opens with single-page "Quick Start" protocols that provide students with fundamental instructions to complete eight of the most common microtechnique protocols used today. The following sections cover the theory and practice of microtechnique. The traditional paraffin method is demonstrated by explicit step-by-step protocols, and theoretical background is incorporated to give students the tools required to design their own experiments and to interpret existing results. In addition, modern applications such as methacrylate embedding and sectioning, microwave tissue processing, fluorescence histochemistry, and in situ hybridization are discussed in detail. The manual also contains a definitive chapter on microscopy and describes, in both text and diagrams, the optical principles of techniques such as phase contrast and DIC as well as confocal and deconvolution wide-field microscopy. Appendices on laboratory practice (chemical toxicities, common calculations, and buffer tables), an extensive appendix on optics and its application to the microscope, and an extensive bibliography of over 550 references are also included. Ideal for courses in plant biology, Plant Microtechnique and Microscopy also serves as an indispensable reference for all students of microscopy, histology, and histological technique. It is a valuable addition to every biological laboratory.

A proper understanding of the structural organization of the plant body is essential to any study in plant biology. Experimental studies in vivo and in situ will lead to structural, physiological, and cellular changes of the experimental material. To study macroscopic and microscopic changes, different histological methods and microtechniques can be used as they provide valuable information of the experimental system. In addition, the observed structural changes allow investigators to set hypothesis for further studies based on one’s own observation. Thus, proper selection and utilization of microtechniques are a must for the success of a research program. At present, an up-to-date collection of protocols are not readily available in the literature. The latest work in plant microtechniques was published in 1999 by Ruzin but many others are no longer in print [e.g., Jensen (1964); O’Brien and McCully (1981)]. Furthermore, a majority of published works focus on techniques related to general processing and staining procedures. A comprehensive treatment that encompasses broader applications of microtechniques to other disciplines is lacking [e.g., archeology, wood science, etc.]. There is a need to create a comprehensive volume of botanical methods and protocols which includes traditional and novel techniques that can be used by researchers in plant science and investigators in other disciplines that require plant microtechniques in their research and teaching. This book covers a wide variety of applications and brings them up-to-date to make them understandable and relevant, especially to students using the methods for the first time. It is our intention to create a useful reference for plant histology and related methods that will serve as a foundation for plant scholars, researchers, and teachers in the plant sciences.​

ELEMENTS OF BOTANICAL MICROTECHNIQUE by JOHN E. SASS. PREFACE: Permanent slides for microscopic study are indispensable in the teaching of a basic course in botany and in some specialized advanced fields. In some advanced courses the students prefer many of the slides as a minor aspect of the course, but in elementary courses the slides usually are furnished. In the latter case the slides are either purchased from commercial sources or made in the departmental laboratory. Biological supply houses can furnish excellent slides of the subjects commonly used in elementary teaching, but the quality is likely to be variable, especially from concerns in which there is frequent turnover of the laboratory staff. Jobbing houses that purchase slides from constantly changing sources may also furnish disappointing slides at times. The more reputable concerns, however, try earnestly to meet the specifications of critical and reasonable purchasers. The relative merits of making slides and of purchasing them are in dispute and must be worked out in relation to local conditions Because of these uncertainties in the commercial supply and the need for specialized or unlisted items, the preparation of slides is an established service function in many biological departments. This work is often performed by a skilled professional technician with more or less supervision by the departmental staff. In other departments a member of the teaching staff, usually a morphologist, assumes this responsibility, with the aid of student assistants. Most research organizations maintain a technician for the preparation of research slides. There are many types of investigation in which it is possible for the technician to place the finished slides before the investigator, who then carries out the study and interpretation of the material. However, in many investigations some or all steps in the preparation require an intimate knowledge of the history, structure, and orientation of the material and the aims of the study...