Electron microscopy of negatively-stained lipids

Conclusions

The present studies appear to confirm previous suggestions (Baker 1958) that some of the fixatives used for the study of membranes may not give an adequate preservation of the lipid components unless a sufficient concentration of calcium is present.

These experiments are being continued, and we plan to investigate any changes that may occur during subsequent dehydration and embedding processes. It is hoped to preserve the helices so that they may be studied by thin-sectioning techniques, since a procedure that is satisfactory for these helices may also be of value in the examination of thin sections of biological membranes. Furthermore, as the helical structures appear to contain globular micelles of phospholipid, 40 to 50 Å in diameter (Lucy and Glauert 1964), continued investigation of these structures may also shed light on the formation, stability and function of globular micelles of lipid within natural membranes (Lucy 1964).