A SIMPLE METHOD FOR PROCESSING INDIVIDUAL OOCYTES AND EMBRYOS FOR ELECTRON-MICROSCOPY

A simple method for handling individual specimens that must be process ed either for scanning or transmission electron microscopy studies is described. For scanning microscope processing, dehydration is carried out with samples enclosed in small cages made from TAAB capsules in wh ich top and bottom are substituted by plankton nets, and for transmiss ion electron microscopy, samples are pre-embedded in agarose. This pro cedure significantly reduces mouth pipetting, dissecting microscope ob servations, is less labour intensive and, most importantly, reduces sa mple loss.