Correlative evaluation of variable pressure-scanning electron microscopy to histology methods for vascular tissues

Abstract

For pathological investigation, vascular tissues implanted with biomaterials or medical devices require microscopic histology and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) assessment to evaluate biocompatibility with the vascular luminal surface. However, these valuable specimens are often susceptible to SEM and histology tissue preparation artifacts. Correlative variable pressure-scanning electron microscopy (VP-SEM) and histology methods were developed and evaluated, using current SEM technology, allowing direct imaging of hydrated samples without lengthy tissue processing, labor, equipment, and their sequela artifacts. Unstained and silver-stained, fixed swine carotid arteries were assessed using a cooling stage and an environmental secondary electron detector. After VP-SEM imaging, arteries were processed for histology evaluation. Assessment of luminal endothelial surface SEM images and tissue histology of the underlying mural wall was made to determine if low vacuum, cryo-freezing, electron beam exposure, and/or staining affected tissue morphology. Conventional SEM requires lengthy tissue processing with dedicated equipment for solvent dehydration, critical point drying, and metallic sputter coating in order to image under high vacuum for secondary electron imaging. This process causes notable artifacts when samples are later processed for microscopic histology. In contrast, silver staining of swine carotid arteries, followed by aldehyde fixation, facilitated VP-SEM imaging and histology preparation with results that were comparable to conventional SEM and had acceptable tissue morphology. VP-SEM with a cooling stage and an environmental secondary electron detector allows efficient SEM imaging and correlative histological assessment of vascular tissue samples. This correlative method may be further developed and implemented for research applications with biomaterial and medical device implanted tissues.