Cryoultramicrotome for advanced sample preparation for microscopy

Application is made for the financing of a cryoultramicrotome. A highly functional and ergonomic microtome is a fundamental requirement for the routine sectioning of samples - both semi-thin and ultrathin- for light- and electron microscopy purposes. The microtome will be used to replace old equipment purchased already in 1986 and thus provide new opportunities and possibilities for microtomy and cryoultramicrotomy. The instrument will be used for preparing samples for a range of applications in a diverse range of projects involving morphological, immunological, and elemental analysis. Specifically, the instrument will be used for preparing samples (primarily wood cells, fibers, both living and dead) in the FORMAS Centre of Excellence Funcfiber, the VINNOVA-Industry supported project CRUW (Cooperative Research on the ultrastructure of Wood fibers) for the pulp and paper industry, and a number of other financed projects concerning plant/wood micro- and nanostructure. The cryo-facility of the microtome will further allow sectioning of cryo-fixed biological tissues and cells and provide for detection of sensitive cellular antigens that are normally disrupted or lost during the conventional chemical fixation of biological materials. The high precision of the cryo-instrument will provide new possibilities for producing uniform sections for 3-Dimensional tomography in a recently installed high-resolution Cryo-TEM allowing us to extend and optimize our research capabilities