Open AccessSilicone-urethane adhesive for improved coverslip mounting and leak-free preparation of living cell observation chambers
Author(s) -
Shigeru Matsunaga,
Qiuhong Xie,
Miyuki Kumano-Kuramochi,
Shiro Komba,
Sachiko Machida
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
biotechniques/biotechniques
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.617
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1940-9818
pISSN - 0736-6205
DOI - 10.2144/000113071
Subject(s) - oil immersion , materials science , silicone oil , silicone , biomedical engineering , leak , adhesive , magnification , living cell , composite material , optics , biology , engineering , physics , biological system , medicine , layer (electronics) , environmental engineering
Using a combination of silicone and urethane resin, we established a rapid technique for preparing living specimens for microscopy. One major advantage of this technique is that the coverslip is rigidly attached and does not detach during handling. As a result, it is possible to continuously observe living cells at high magnification and resolution using an oil immersion objective. Another advantage is that living cells are quickly confined to the space between the glass slide and coverslip, protecting them from environmental changes, which can cause serious effects on cell function and morphology. Moreover, high-resolution observations of real-time responses of cells are possible, using the combination of the mounting technique and a simple flow chamber.