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Ultrastructure

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Encyclopedia of Astrobiology

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Definition

The ultrastructure of an object or fossil is its fine structure at the micrometer and nanometer scales. The term ultrastructure is used to describe the fine structure of a microfossil cell wall, which can be composed of one or several organic layers of various textures and compositions. It is also used in biology of extant organisms to describe the various components of the cell interior, such as nucleus, organelles, internal membranes, and vesicles. The most common technique used to study ultrastructure is transmission electron microscopy.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Geology Department, Palaeobiogeology-Palaeobotany-Palaeopalynology, University of Liège, 17 allée du 6 Août B18 Sart-Tilman, Liège, 4000, Belgium

    Emmanuelle J. Javaux

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  1. Emmanuelle J. Javaux
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Correspondence to Emmanuelle J. Javaux .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Centro de Biología Molecular, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain

    Ricardo Amils

  2. Labo. d'Astrophysique de Bordeaux (LAB), Observatoire Aquitain des Sciences de l'Univers (OASU), Floirac CX, France

    Muriel Gargaud

  3. Centro de Astrobiología (CAB), Inst. Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial, Torrejón de Ardoz, Madrid, Spain

    José Cernicharo Quintanilla

  4. Geophysical Lab., Carnegie Institution of Washington, Washington, District of Columbia, USA

    Henderson James Cleaves

  5. Astronomy Department, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA

    William M. Irvine

  6. Dépt. Sc. de la Terre et de l’Atmosphère, Université du Québec, Montréal, Montreal, Québec, Canada

    Daniele Pinti

  7. Centre National d'Etudes Spatiale (CNES) DPI/E2U, Paris CX, France

    Michel Viso

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© 2014 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Javaux, E.J. (2014). Ultrastructure. In: Amils, R., et al. Encyclopedia of Astrobiology. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27833-4_1868-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27833-4_1868-3

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-27833-4

  • eBook Packages: Springer Reference Physics and AstronomyReference Module Physical and Materials ScienceReference Module Chemistry, Materials and Physics

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