Abstract
Fixation is the essential first step in preserving cellular structures with the goal of keeping them as “lifelike” as possible. Two methods are normally used to “fix” biological specimens: chemical and physical fixation. Chemical fixation is the most common approach in specimen preservation. Tissues are immersed in a fixative that kills and stabilizes the cell contents. Physical fixation can include microwaving and cryopreserving samples to rapidly inactivate cellular activity. Chemical and physical fixation methods each have their own merits and limitations. This chapter provides a general overview of the chemical and physical fixation of cells and tissues. Practical issues on plant fixation methods are discussed.
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Acknowledgments
The authors thank Professor Jeffrey L. Salisbury at the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Microscopy and Cell Analysis Core Facility in Mayo Clinic for critical reading and editing of the manuscript.
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Huang, B., Yeung, E. (2015). Chemical and Physical Fixation of Cells and Tissues: An Overview. In: Yeung, E., Stasolla, C., Sumner, M., Huang, B. (eds) Plant Microtechniques and Protocols. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-19944-3_2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-19944-3_2
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