Modified tannin-osmium conductive staining method for non-coated scanning electron microscope specimens. Its application to microdissection scanning electron microscopy of the spleen.

Supplement of guanidine hydrochloride to the original tannic acid solution of MURAKAMI (1973) eliminated, without debilitating the conductivity effect, the vexatious treatment with different amino-acids and sucrose in the previous method (MURAKAMI, 1974). The procedures and advantages of this simplified modification are described using human spleen samples; attempt was made to elucidate the structure of arterial terminals by dissecting the specimens under the scanning electron microscope.