spacer gif spacer gif spacer gif spacer gif spacer gif
QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


spacer gif
     Home     Help     Feedback     Subscriptions     Archive     Search     Table of Contents    

This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by FLOWER, N. E.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by FLOWER, N. E.

Journal of Cell Science, Vol 12, 445-452, Copyright © 1973 by Company of Biologists

Submitted on July 10, 1972

Complementary Plasma Membrane Fracture Faces in Freeze-Etch Replicas

N. E. FLOWER 1

1 Physics and Engineering Laboratory, Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, Private Bag, Lower Hutt, New Zealand

Recent studies have all shown that membranes fracture internally during freeze-etching or freeze-cleaving, confirming that 2 internal membrane faces are produced. That these faces are not complementary is one of the main features of freeze-etch replicas still requiring explanation. In the present investigation certain plasma membranes in light organs of the New Zealand glow worm are found to be an exception to this general rule of non-complementarity, as there is a sufficient number of holes present in one membrane face to match the number of particles on the other. This finding suggests that most of the theories put forward to explain non-complementarity do not apply and that holes are probably lost in most membrane faces by distortion during fracturing.

Submitted on July 10, 1972






© The Company of Biologists Ltd 1973