THE USE OF OSMIUM-THIOCARBOHYDRAZIDE FOR STRUCTURAL STABILIZATION ANDENHANCEMENT OF SECONDARY-ELECTRON IMAGES IN SCANNING ELECTRON-MICROSCOPY OF POLLEN
Wf. Chissoe et al., THE USE OF OSMIUM-THIOCARBOHYDRAZIDE FOR STRUCTURAL STABILIZATION ANDENHANCEMENT OF SECONDARY-ELECTRON IMAGES IN SCANNING ELECTRON-MICROSCOPY OF POLLEN, Grana, 34(5), 1995, pp. 317-324
Pollen grains stained in a sequence of osmium (O) and thiocarbohydrazi
de (T) solutions (collectively known as OTOTO) appear structurally sta
ble and undistorted in the scanning electron microscope (SEM), and usu
ally do not require special drying. In fact, OTOTO can be regarded as
another special drying method in palynology. This sequential incubatio
n also strikingly increases the electrical conductivity of pollen grai
ns in the SEM. Compared to standard sputter-coating or vacuum evaporat
ive procedures, OTOTO reduces charging and yields secondary electron i
mages with significantly higher resolution.