A new rapid air-drying technique for scanning electron microscopy using tetramethylsilane: application to mammalian tissue.

A new rapid air-drying technique for scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with results comparable to critical point drying (CPD) has been developed. In earlier studies a trematode parasite and a fungus were used as test specimens. Here the application of the new method for SEM of some mammalian tissue is described. The method is based on drying the tissues from an organo-silicon compound whose physical and chemical properties make it the most appropriate fluid for tissue drying.