Figure 3 | Scientific Reports

Figure 3

From: A combination of scanning electron microscopy and broad argon ion beam milling provides intact structure of secondary tissues in woody plants

Figure 3

Transverse sections of Pinus densiflora resin canals and xylem parenchyma cells. (a,b) Broad argon ion beam (BIB)-milled cross-section. BIB milling created a broad and smooth cross-section from the phloem, cambium, and xylem, including the resin canal. (b) Parenchyma cells (epithelial, ray, and axial cells) contain many oil bodies (O) and have thinner cell walls than neighboring tracheids. No crushing of the thin cell walls or detachment of starch granules is observed in the BIB-milled cross-section. (c,d) Microtome cross-sections. The oil bodies are deformed into blurred outlines due to epoxy resin embedding. The epoxy resin is detached from the tracheids due to pine resin bleeding. Scanning electron microscopy images of intracellular storage materials are obscured by resin infiltration into epoxy resin. The resin canal and void spaces enclosed by thin cell walls are crushed by mechanical stress. Ca, cambium; N, nucleus; O, oil bodies; R, resin canal; S, starch granules; V, void space. Scale bars = 100 µm (a and c) and 20 µm (b and d).

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