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High-Pressure Freezing for Preservation of High Resolution Fine Structure and Antigenicity for Immunolabeling

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Electron Microscopy Methods and Protocols

Part of the book series: Methods in Molecular Biology™ ((MIMB,volume 117))

Abstract

What is high-pressure freezing (HPF)? HPF is a method of specimen preparation for electron microscopy (EM) that freezes noncryoprotected samples up to 0.5 mm in thickness without significant ice crystal damage. Other freezing methods are limited to 1/100 (plunge and impact freezing) to 1/10 (propane jet freezing) that sample thickness. With HPF you are working in the realm of whole cells and tissues instead of small cells or cell cortical regions. For more details on the theory of how HPF works, and some examples of its application, there are several reviews available (1-4).

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Electron Microscope Lab, University of California, Berkeley, CA

    Kent McDonald

Authors
  1. Kent McDonald
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Imperial Cancer Research Fund, London, UK

    M. A. Nasser Hajibagheri

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© 1999 Humana Press Inc.

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McDonald, K. (1999). High-Pressure Freezing for Preservation of High Resolution Fine Structure and Antigenicity for Immunolabeling. In: Nasser Hajibagheri, M.A. (eds) Electron Microscopy Methods and Protocols. Methods in Molecular Biology™, vol 117. Humana Press. https://doi.org/10.1385/1-59259-201-5:77

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1385/1-59259-201-5:77

  • Publisher Name: Humana Press

  • Print ISBN: 978-0-89603-640-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-59259-201-2

  • eBook Packages: Springer Protocols

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