Structured illumination microscopy of a living cell

Due to diffraction, the resolution of imaging emitted light in a fluorescence microscope is limited to about 200 nm in the lateral direction. Resolution improvement by a factor of two can be achieved using structured illumination, where a fine grating is projected onto the sample, and the final image is reconstructed from a set of images taken at different grating positions. Here we demonstrate that with the help of a spatial light modulator, this technique can be used for imaging slowly moving structures in living cells. This article has been submitted as a contribution to the Festschrift entitled “Uncovering cellular sub-structures by light microscopy” in honour of Professor Cremer’s 65th birthday.     

Comparison of Methods for Inhibiting Bacterial Activity in Sediment

Dilute formaldehyde was the most suitable treatment to inhibit sediment bacteria, since bacterial activity remained low during long-term incubations and the chemical changes in the sediment were minimal. The inhibiting effects of HgCl₂, autoclaving, and gamma radiation were diminished during longer incubations; these treatments also caused increases in dissolved nutrients.     

Electron microscope observations on the differentiation of protocorm cells of Dactylorhiza maculata

The fine structure of aseptically cultivated protocorm cells of Dactylorhiza maculata (L.) Sod was studied with special reference to differentiation of leaf cells. In the young protocorm the characteristic structures are compound amyloplasts and smooth ER. In the older, the green shoot pole contains many proplastids storing starch, some membrane–bound protein crystalloids and lipid droplets attached to the nuclear membrane and plasmalemma. In the leaves of the young seedling, two types of chloroplasts are found. One contains little or no starch but many osmiophilic plasto–globuli; the other has only a few plastoglobuli but a large starch grain.