Histological techniques for electron microscopy

This is intended to be a very practical book for those who would study cells or tissues with an electron microscope. Although all the tools have been at hand for this sort of work for more than five years, effective work has been done in relatively few laboratories. In general this is because of the complexity of the techniques and the consequent lack of fully trained investigators; yet there is no one aspect of the problem that is particularly difficult in itself. But success depends upon attention to much detail, as well as knowledge and competence in widely diversified fields. The adage that "a chain is no stronger than its weakest link" is quite pertinent. To make successful electron micrographs of tissues one must preserve the specimens with skill, section them with art, use an electron microscope with understanding, and do photography with facility. Except for a few "old timers" who grew up with the subject, most senior investigators who are doing effective work today apprenticed themselves at one of two laboratories, in the United States, at the Rockefeller Institute, in Europe, at the Karolinska Instituter. Of course with time new clones have been established, and there are now a number of "teaching laboratories" to which one can go for instruction and experience. No doubt, a year's apprenticeship in such laboratory can be the most efficient, effective, and stimulating way of becoming established in this field. But there are many who are interested, for various reasons find it impractical or impossible to serve this apprenticeship. It is to this group in particular that this volume is directed. It should be possible for a novice to gain reasonable competence through his own ingenuity if he has a guidebook to help with the maze of detail. It will assist the beginner immensely if he can arrange to spend two or three days with someone competent in this field who will systematically go through all of the steps involved with him while he takes notes. This will, in essence, be a survey which will get the novice started. He should then go back to his own laboratory and work for a few weeks, or even months, as best he can with books and with whatever local help is available.