Scanning electron microscopy of intestinal microvilli

The usual simple methods for the preparation of soft tissues for scanning electron microscopy failed to demonstrate the presence of microvilli on intestinal epithelial cells from rats. Treatment with a mucolytic agent or surface-section methods also failed. However, the isolation of the brush borders as the first step in the preparatory procedure did allow a study of the microvilli. The width and height of the microvilli differed from those seen by transmission microscopy and it is suggested that these differences are related to both the shadow-material used and the presence of a mucopolysaccharide on the surface of the membrane. The technique illustrates the possible use of fractionation methods as part of the preparative procedures in scanning electron microscopy.