Plant Microtechniques and Protocols

✍ Scribed by Edward Chee Tak Yeung, Claudio Stasolla, Michael John Sumner, Bing Quan Huang (eds.)

• Publisher: Springer International Publishing
• Year: 2015
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 572
• Edition: 1
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

A proper understanding of the structural organization of the plant body is essential to any study in plant biology. Experimental studies in vivo and in situ will lead to structural, physiological, and cellular changes of the experimental material. To study macroscopic and microscopic changes, different histological methods and microtechniques can be used as they provide valuable information of the experimental system. In addition, the observed structural changes allow investigators to set hypothesis for further studies based on one’s own observation. Thus, proper selection and utilization of microtechniques are a must for the success of a research program. At present, an up-to-date collection of protocols are not readily available in the literature. The latest work in plant microtechniques was published in 1999 by Ruzin but many others are no longer in print [e.g., Jensen (1964); O’Brien and McCully (1981)]. Furthermore, a majority of published works focus on techniques related to general processing and staining procedures. A comprehensive treatment that encompasses broader applications of microtechniques to other disciplines is lacking [e.g., archeology, wood science, etc.]. There is a need to create a comprehensive volume of botanical methods and protocols which includes traditional and novel techniques that can be used by researchers in plant science and investigators in other disciplines that require plant microtechniques in their research and teaching. This book covers a wide variety of applications and brings them up-to-date to make them understandable and relevant, especially to students using the methods for the first time. It is our intention to create a useful reference for plant histology and related methods that will serve as a foundation for plant scholars, researchers, and teachers in the plant sciences.​

✦ Table of Contents

Front Matter....Pages i-xiv
Front Matter....Pages 1-1
A Guide to the Study of Plant Structure with Emphasis on Living Specimens....Pages 3-22
Chemical and Physical Fixation of Cells and Tissues: An Overview....Pages 23-43
Paraffin and Polyester Waxes....Pages 45-66
The Glycol Methacrylate Embedding Resins—Technovit 7100 and 8100....Pages 67-82
Epoxy Resins for Light and Transmission Electron Microscopy....Pages 83-101
LR White Acrylic Resin....Pages 103-116
High-Pressure Freezing and Freeze Substitution of In Vivo and In Vitro Cultured Plant Samples....Pages 117-134
Three-Dimensional Imaging for Electron Microscopy of Plastic-Embedded Plant Specimens....Pages 135-151
Fluorescent Staining of Living Plant Cells....Pages 153-165
Improved Methods for Clearing and Staining of Plant Samples....Pages 167-178
Front Matter....Pages 179-179
Whole-Mount Immunofluorescence Staining of Plant Cells and Tissues....Pages 181-196
Protoplast Isolation and Staining....Pages 197-211
Guiding Principles for Live Cell Imaging of Plants Using Confocal Microscopy....Pages 213-224
Immunogold Labeling for Electron Microscopy: Strategy and Problem Solving....Pages 225-249
Abscisic Acid Immunostaining....Pages 251-261
Plant Chromosome Preparations and Staining for Light Microscopic Studies....Pages 263-286
Chromosome Techniques and FISH....Pages 287-309
Detection of S-Phase of Cell Division Cycle in Plant Cells and Tissues by Using 5-Ethynyl-2′-Deoxyuridine (EdU)....Pages 311-322
Staining Methods for Programmed Cell Death....Pages 323-336
Laser Microdissection of Plant Tissues....Pages 337-350
Front Matter....Pages 179-179
RNA In situ Hybridization....Pages 351-370
Front Matter....Pages 371-371
Microscopic Examination of Wood: Sample Preparation and Techniques for Light Microscopy....Pages 373-415
Collecting and Processing Wood Microcores for Monitoring Xylogenesis....Pages 417-429
Three-Dimensional Imaging of Cambium and Secondary Xylem Cells by Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy....Pages 431-465
Front Matter....Pages 467-467
Collection of Plant Remains from Archaeological Contexts....Pages 469-485
Archaeological Wood Preparation....Pages 487-493
Archaeopalynological Preparation Techniques....Pages 495-506
Phytoliths: Preparation and Archaeological Extraction....Pages 507-524
Starch Granules: Preparation and Archaeological Extraction....Pages 525-540
Plant Collection, Identification, and Herbarium Procedures....Pages 541-572
Back Matter....Pages 573-576

✦ Subjects

Plant Breeding/Biotechnology; Plant Anatomy/Development; Plant Systematics/Taxonomy/Biogeography