Uranyl Acetate as a Fixative—from pH 2.0 to 8.0

Abstract

Numerous applications utilizing uranyl acetate as an electron stain for electron microscopy have been described. Uranyl acetate has become a routine stain used in conjunction with lead hydroxide for staining ultrathin sections. En bloc staining with uranyl acetate following osmium tetroxide post-fixation produces undesirable effects on some cytoplasmic components, especially glycogen. Recent studies using uranyl acetate as a fixative and en bloc stain at pH 7.2 before osmification has shown uranyl acetate to have desirable fixation and staining qualities. Tissues treated with uranyl acetate at a pH of 2.0-8.0 were studied. Normal rat tissue was fixed in Karnovsky's paraformaldehyde-glutaraldehyde fixative. The tissue was post-fixed in 0.5% uranyl acetate in water at pH 2.0 and 0.5% uranyl acetate in 0.1M s-collidine with 0.01M oxalic acid at pH 4, pH 6.0, pH 7.2, and pH 8.0 for 1 hour at 4°C. Following several rinses of 0.1M s-collidine buffer, the tissues were treated with 1.33% osmium tetroxide 1 hour at 4°C followed by rapid dehydration in ethanol and embedded in Durcupan ACM. Tissue sections were stained with lead hydroxide.