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Migration of potassium out of electron‐microscope specimens
Author(s) -
Hodson Stuart,
Marshall John
Publication year - 1971
Publication title -
journal of microscopy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.569
H-Index - 111
eISSN - 1365-2818
pISSN - 0022-2720
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2818.1971.tb02263.x
Subject(s) - potassium , chemistry , analyser , sodium , electron microscope , electron , microscope , analytical chemistry (journal) , scanning electron microscope , optics , chromatography , physics , organic chemistry , quantum mechanics
SUMMARY We have previously reported the direct detection of sodium and potassium in ultrathin biological sections (Hodson & Marshall, 1970a) by combining the technique of ultracryotomy (Hodson & Marshall, 1970b) with an electron‐microscope probe analyser EMMA‐4 (AEI, Harlow, Essex). We also suggested that it may shortly be possible to plot intracellular concentrations of sodium and potassium if our technique was made quantitative and tested critically. During such tests on organic membranes we discovered an unexpected phenomenon: when a beam of electrons irradiates material which includes potassium, the potassium may move out of the irradiated area.