Using new instrumentation for imaging biological fine structure, contact x-ray microscopy coupled to transmission electron microscopy will be used to examine a variety of tissues and cells. A prototype instrument designed at the IBM Thomas Watson Research Center will be used. Biological specimens prepared by a variety of procedures such as conventional fixation; fresh frozen ultracryomicrotomy sections; air dried or critical point dried whole cells will be compared following exposure of these plastic resists to a soft x-ray source. Adaptation of this mode of imaging will test this new instrumentation as to potentially wider applicability and possibly provide insight into hitherto unrevealed organization of sub-cellular components.
