Electron microscopy
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
The printable version is no longer supported and may have rendering errors. Please update your browser bookmarks and please use the default browser print function instead.
This article is a brief collection things electron microscopy. It is commonly abbreviated EM.
Fixation for EM is often done with glutaraldehyde.[1]
Ultrastructural findings
Glycogen
General
Seen in:
Ultrastructure
Appearance:
- Cytoplasmic, electron dense, not bound by a membrane.
Tubuloreticular inclusions
Abbreviated TRIs.
General
Seen in:
Ultrastructure
Appearance:
- Undulating tubules in the smooth ER, usu. perinuclear.[2]
Melanosomes
General
Seen in:
Ultrastructure
Appearance:
- Membrane bound, sausage-like shape.
Image(s):
Neurosecretory granules
- AKA dense-core granules.
General
Seen in:
Ultrastructure
Appearance:[4]
- Round membrane bound, granular core.
- Size: 100-400 nm.
Image(s):
Birbeck granules
General
- Seen in Langerhans cell histiocytosis.
Ultrastructure
Appearance:
- Electron dense, cytoplasmic tennis racket-like body.
Image(s):
- Birbeck granules (photobucket.com).
- Usually... only the handle of the tennis racket is well seen.
Tonofilaments
General
- Found in epithelial cells.
- Part of the cytoskeleton.
- May be found in the epithelioid component of a biphasic synovial sarcoma.[5]
Ultrastructure
Features:
- Filamentous structures at the cell periphery - vaguely resemble striated muscle.
Image(s):
Zymogen granules
General
- Seen in acinic cell carcinoma.
- Pancreas - acinar cell.[6]
Ultrastructure
Features:
- Round structures ~0.5-1.5 μm.
Images:
Specific diagnoses
Malignant mesothelioma
Main article: Malignant mesothelioma
Several EM features can be useful to distinguish mesothelioma from adenocarcinoma as per Warhol et al:[8]
- Microvillous length -- longer in mesothelioma.
- Quantity of intermediate filaments -- mesothelioma have more.
See also
References
- ↑ Prentø, P. (Nov 1995). "Glutaraldehyde for electron microscopy: a practical investigation of commercial glutaraldehydes and glutaraldehyde-storage conditions.". Histochem J 27 (11): 906-13. PMID 8787969.
- ↑ Stoltenburg-Didinger G, Genth E (June 2009). "[Dermatomyositis]" (in German). Z Rheumatol 68 (4): 287–94. doi:10.1007/s00393-008-0398-y. PMID 19330338.
- ↑ Gil-Moreno, A.; Garcia-Jiménez, A.; González-Bosquet, J.; Esteller, M.; Castellví-Vives, J.; Martínez Palones, JM.; Xercavins, J. (Mar 1997). "Merkel cell carcinoma of the vulva.". Gynecol Oncol 64 (3): 526-32. PMID 9062165.
- ↑ URL: http://www.pathologyimagesinc.com/emhandbook/diagn-organelles-section/organelle-pages/neuroendo-granules.html. Accessed on: 11 February 2011.
- ↑ Fisher, C. (Dec 1998). "Synovial sarcoma.". Ann Diagn Pathol 2 (6): 401-21. PMID 9930576.
- ↑ Gorelick, FS.; Otani, T. (Jul 1999). "Mechanisms of intracellular zymogen activation.". Baillieres Best Pract Res Clin Gastroenterol 13 (2): 227-40. PMID 11030603.
- ↑ URL: http://www3.mpibpc.mpg.de/groups/em/Gallery.htm. Accessed on: 1 June 2012.
- ↑ Warhol, MJ.; Hickey, WF.; Corson, JM. (Jun 1982). "Malignant mesothelioma: ultrastructural distinction from adenocarcinoma.". Am J Surg Pathol 6 (4): 307-14. PMID 6287872.