TAILIEUCHUNG - A simple technique for cross-sectioning Gymnosperm needle leaves using microtome

If a staining-permanent slide is not needed, this simple and faster microtome technique is very useful for cross-sectioning Gymnosperm needle leaves. The technique employs 2× polyvinyl alcohol-lactic acid-glycerol (PVLG) without the steps of fixation, dehydration, clearing, embedding, deparaffi nisation, and hydration. | J. K. EO Research Note Turk J Bot 36 (2012): 213-216 © TÜBİTAK doi: A simple technique for cross-sectioning Gymnosperm needle leaves using microtome Ju-Kyeong EO Department of Forest Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-921 - REPUBLIC OF KOREA Received: Accepted: Abstract: If a staining-permanent slide is not needed, this simple and faster microtome technique is very useful for cross-sectioning Gymnosperm needle leaves. The technique employs 2× polyvinyl alcohol-lactic acid-glycerol (PVLG) without the steps of fixation, dehydration, clearing, embedding, deparaffinisation, and hydration. Conveniently, this technique can also be applied to thick leaves and other organs of Angiosperms. The procedure is very simple and is suggested for use in plant anatomy research. Key words: Cross-section, Gymnosperm, microtome, needle leaves, PVLG Introduction With the invention of the microscope, there were many efforts to observe the structure of plants using anatomical cross-sections. The microtome was invented by George Adams Jr in the 18th century (Smith, 1915), and now the machine, which was improved by many researchers over the years, is important in various fields of research. Andrew Prichard improved the vibration problem in microtomes by affixing the device to the table, by separating the operator part from the amputation part (Smith, 1915). As a result, the microtome was able to cut more clearly. In the 19th century, Jan Evangelista Purkyně became the first person to create a thin slice using a microtome for microscopic examination (Henry, 1953; Šteiner et al., 1988). Researchers were able to make a very thin layer continuously for microscopic observation and develop dyeing methods. Currently, nuclei or micro-organisms at the cell level can be observed and a unique pathological infected area can be checked using the botanical microtechnique. This technique enables understanding of the ultrastructure of a plant by

• Nông nghiệp
• Cross section
• Gymnosperm needle
• Polyvinyl alcohol lactic acid glycerol
• Deparaffi nisation
• Anatomical cross sections