A method for locating individual leukocytes for comparative study by light and scanning electron microscopy.

A method is presented for locating individual leukocytes and platelets in Wright's stained blood films for comparative study by light and scanning electron microscopy. The individual cells in the blood films were photographed and the field was circled with a diamond marker objective. The slide was scored and broken; pieces of the stained slide containing the numbered circles were fixed (with conductive cement) to a metal stub, air dried, and coated with metallic gold. The metal stub was placed in a scanning electron microscope, and the marked cells were readily located and photographed so that their three-dimensional surface morphology could be compared with the morphologic features of stained cells in the blood film photographed with the light microscope. Characteristics of individual cell types are discussed.