Department of Biotechnology
inStem (Institute for Stem Cell Science and Regenerative Medicine)

Scanning electron microscopy of murine skin ultrathin sections and cultured keratinocytes.

Publication Type

Journal Article

Date of Publication

September 17, 2021

Journal

STAR protocols

Volume/Issue

2/3

ISSN

2666-1667

Generating high-quality electron microscopy images of the skin and keratinocytes can be challenging. Here we describe a simple protocol for scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of murine skin. The protocol enables characterization of the ultrastructure of the epidermis, dermis, hair follicles, basement membrane, and cell-cell junctions. We detail the specific steps for sample preparation and highlight the critical need for proper orientation of the sample for ultrathin sectioning. We also describe the isolation and preparation of primary keratinocyte monolayers for SEM. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Biswas et al. (2021).

Alternate Journal

STAR Protoc

PubMed ID

34458866

PubMed Central ID

PMC8379523

Authors

Avinanda Banerjee
Ritusree Biswas
Ryan Lim
Hilda Amalia Pasolli
Srikala Raghavan

Keywords

Dermis
Epidermal Cells
Animals
Microscopy, Electron, Scanning
Mice
Skin
Keratinocytes
Hair Follicle
Epidermis
Basement Membrane