The use of the plasma chemistry unit as an aid to the scanning electron microscope study of avian egg‐shell structure

Abstract

1. In order to study the mammillary layer of the avian egg shell by scanning electron microscopy, it is necessary to separate the outer shell membrane from the calcified shell. 2. Chemical methods of effecting membrane removal are difficult to standardise due to variations in the strength of the membrane‐shell bond. 3. The use of reactive gas plasma provides an alternative, more efficient method for removing membranes without the risk of damage to underlying crystalline structures.