Pre-embedding method of electron microscopy for glycan localization in mammalian tissues and cells using lectin probes

Abstract

In recent years, the study of glycans is progressing remarkably by the development of glycan analysis systems using mass spectrometry, glycan profiling systems using lectin microarrays, and glycoprotein analysis by the isotope-coded glycosylation site-specific tagging method. With these methodologies, glycan structures and biological functions are being elucidated. In the study of glycan function as well as disease diagnosis, it is important to examine the localization of glycans in tissues and cells. Histochemical methods using lectin probes can localize glycans in the tissues and cells. This chapter describes a pre-embedding electron microscopic method for glycan localization in which tissue sections and cells are incubated with lectin prior to embedding in resin.