Use of a Technovit 7200 VLC to facilitate integrated determination of aluminum by light and electron microscopy

Technovit 7200 VLC is an excellent embedding medium for both inorganic hist ochemistry by light microscopy and X-ray microanalysis by scanning and tran smission electron microscopy. Liver samples from rats after intraperitoneal treatment with aluminum chloride were fixed in glutaraldehyde and embedded in the resin. Thick sections were easily cut on an ultramicrotome and stai ned with aluminon for aluminum (A1). An intense positive reaction with alum inon was observed in the Kupffer cells by light microscopy. The surface str uctures of the same resin block cut for light microscopy were observed unde r a scanning electron microscope fitted with an energy dispersive X-ray spe ctrometer. The Kupffer cells appeared white in the backscattered mode. Loca lization of A1 in the Kupffer cells was confirmed by an X-ray distribution map in the scanning electron microscope. Subcellular localization of A1 in the Kupffer cells was performed on the same semithin sections using a trans mission electron microscope equipped with an energy dispersive X-ray spectr ometer, Most A1 was found in lysosomes of the Kupffer cells. The resin was stable in the electron beam and chlorine-free.