Trichome
This is a transverse section of the Pedicle (flower stem) of Asarum canadense, or wild ginger showing a Trichome or hair. The Trichomes are epidermal cells which extend from the stem. They appear to be only one cell filaments extending from a two cell thick epidermal layer. These features proved difficult to section without damage. This was the best of the sections I prepared.
The protocol was as follows. Specimens fixed in FAA (formaldehyde, acetic acid, ethanol) 48 hr. Dehydrated in 35, 50, 75, 85, 95, 99 % IPA in water, 6 hours each min. Infiltrated in xylene saturated with Paraplast for 2 days, followed by 2 changes of melted Praplast for 2 hours each. Embedded in Paraplast. Sectioned on a Spencer 820 microtome at 11 micron. Cleared in xylene, 5 min, 2X. Rehydrated in 99, 95, 80, 70 %IPA. Stained in Johansen's Safranin-O, Fast Green (24 hours in Safranin-O, 15 sec. in fast green). Cleared 2 X in xylene 10 min each and mounted with DPEX.
Photographed on a Spencer 42 petrographic polarizing microscope using an original magnification of , using a Sony NEX 5N with a Leica MIKAS 1/3X adapter.
Trichome
This is a transverse section of the Pedicle (flower stem) of Asarum canadense, or wild ginger showing a Trichome or hair. The Trichomes are epidermal cells which extend from the stem. They appear to be only one cell filaments extending from a two cell thick epidermal layer. These features proved difficult to section without damage. This was the best of the sections I prepared.
The protocol was as follows. Specimens fixed in FAA (formaldehyde, acetic acid, ethanol) 48 hr. Dehydrated in 35, 50, 75, 85, 95, 99 % IPA in water, 6 hours each min. Infiltrated in xylene saturated with Paraplast for 2 days, followed by 2 changes of melted Praplast for 2 hours each. Embedded in Paraplast. Sectioned on a Spencer 820 microtome at 11 micron. Cleared in xylene, 5 min, 2X. Rehydrated in 99, 95, 80, 70 %IPA. Stained in Johansen's Safranin-O, Fast Green (24 hours in Safranin-O, 15 sec. in fast green). Cleared 2 X in xylene 10 min each and mounted with DPEX.
Photographed on a Spencer 42 petrographic polarizing microscope using an original magnification of , using a Sony NEX 5N with a Leica MIKAS 1/3X adapter.