Cryo-Fracture or Freeze-Fracture, a Method to Expose Internal Tissue Surfaces and Cell Surfaces for Viewing in the Scanning Electron Microscope

Abstract

Cryo-fracture, in conjunction with critical point drying is a method used to prepare biological samples in order to expose, for viewing via scanning electron microscopy, those naturally occurring surfaces which might otherwise remain obscure. For example, the Bowman’s capsule and tubules of a kidney, tiny blood vessels on any organ, inter-cellular spaces in liver or alveoli in the lungs. Also, some surfaces, not normally exposed at all such as the membrane surface of a nuclear envelope, mitochondria or chloroplasts or the cytoplasm of a cell, can be brought to light with this method. Herein is a review of the development of cryo-fracture and how it is currently used at our facility.