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A rapid methyl salicylate clearing technique for routine phase‐contrast observations on female meiosis in Solanum
Author(s) -
Jongedijk E.
Publication year - 1987
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.1365-2818.1987.tb01336.x
Subject(s) - megaspore , ovule , clearing , meiosis , phase contrast microscopy , microtome , clearance , biology , embryo , resolution (logic) , microbiology and biotechnology , biophysics , botany , biochemistry , optics , pathology , medicine , computer science , physics , economics , urology , artificial intelligence , finance , gene
SUMMARY A rapid clearing technique, involving methyl salicylate clearing and phase‐contrast microscopy, that enables large‐scale observations on meiosis and embryo sac development in intact ovules of potato, was developed. With high resolution phase‐contrast optics the details observed in cleared ovules were as well defined as in microtome sections and ‘abnormalities' associated with desynapsis and 2n‐megaspore formation were readily detected. In potato this ovule clearing technique offers certain advantages over earlier clearing and staining‐clearing techniques and permits bulk preparation of ethanol (70%) stored ovaries shortly (1·5–2 h) before observation.