Preface to the First Edition
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 Institutet. 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 years apprenticeship in such a laboratory can be the most
efficient, effective, and stimulating way of becoming established in this
field. But there are many who are interested, yet 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. When he has done enough work to understand his own
limitations and special difficulties, then it is time to return to the experiv
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 Institutet. 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 years apprenticeship in such a laboratory can be the most
efficient, effective, and stimulating way of becoming established in this
field. But there are many who are interested, yet 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. When he has done enough work to understand his own
limitations and special difficulties, then it is time to return to the experiv