An Evaluation of Several Methods of Processing Plants for Autoradiography
Abstract
Because of the possible errors in interpretation as a result of the occurrence of pseudoimages formed by improper preparation of plant material for autoradiography, three drying methods were compared: freeze-drying, oven-drying, and air-drying. Freeze-drying was the best method for preparing plants for autoradiography, oven-drying the least effective method. Pseudoimages were consistently produced by oven-drying, especially in bean plants; these false images were particularly characterized by peripheral movement of the label in the treated leaves. Sectioning did not prevent this movement. Air-drying was ranked second as an effective technique. Pseudo-images produced by air-dried plants appeared to be relatively minor compared with those of oven-dried plants. The apparent presence of the label in the roots appeared to be the principal anomaly in air-dried bean plants. Freeze-drying was not as essential for the woody plants as for the bean plants. Air-dried ash produced excellent autoradiographs similar to those of freeze-dried ash. However, metabolic degradation of the labeled compound may occur during air-drying, resulting in probable loss of the one-for-one relationship between the compound under study and the radioactive tracer.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Aug 01, 1971
- Accession Number
- AD0737602
Entities
People
- James W. Akerman
- Robert W. Gesink
- Woodland Hurtt