Description

Transmission electron micrograph of mouse cardiac muscle (ventricle). The image illustrates the myofibrils as well as a sarcomere in the area of fibrils between the two Z-lines. Z-lines link actin filaments of one sarcomere to the next, while the sarcomere is responsible for cardiac muscle contractions.

Technical Details

Primary fixation included: 2.5 % glutaraldehyde, 2% formaldehyde in 0.1 M Na-phosphate buffer, pH 7.4. Post-fixed in 2% OSO4 in 0.1 M Na-phosphate buffer, pH 7.4. Stained en bloc in 1% uranyl acetate. The tissue was then dehydrated in a graded series of ethanol and infiltrated with Spurr's resin. Thin sections of 70 nm were trimmed using a diamond knife and post-stained in uranyl acetate and lead citrate. This micrograph image was taken using a Phillips CM 100 transmission electron microscope at an accelerating voltage of 80kV.