Open AccessKinky microtubules: Bending and breaking induced by fixation in vitro with glutaraldehyde and formaldehyde
Author(s) -
Cross Alan R.,
Williams Jr. Robley C.
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
cell motility and the cytoskeleton
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1097-0169
pISSN - 0886-1544
DOI - 10.1002/cm.970200403
Subject(s) - glutaraldehyde , fixative , microtubule , fixation (population genetics) , breakage , biophysics , formaldehyde , biology , in vitro , distortion (music) , electron microscope , aldehyde , materials science , microbiology and biotechnology , biochemistry , optics , composite material , chromatography , chemistry , physics , cytoplasm , amplifier , optoelectronics , cmos , gene , catalysis
We have employed video‐enhanced light microscopy to study alterations of the overall shape of microtubules that are produced by the aldehyde fixation methods commonly employed to study them in vitro. Changes brought about by these methods include deformation and breakage. The severity of the effects depends on the fixative employed and increases with its concentration, and with the time of fixation. The changes are observed under a variety of conditions, such as brief exposure to 3.7% formaldehyde, or somewhat longer exposure to glutaraldehyde at concentrations as low as 0.05%. The observed distortion explains why microtubules usually appear curved or sinuous in electron micrographs while appearing relatively rigid and linear in video‐enhanced light microscopy. The observed breakage implies that caution must be used in inferring length distributions from measurements of aldehyde‐fixed microtubules.