X‐ray microtomography: Application to a biological specimen

An x-ray microtomograph implemented in a SEM has been developed and the technique applied to the study of biological specimens. As an example, 3-D reconstructions of vine buds at different stages of their maturity have been obtained. The samples do not need to be fixed or stained. Only dehydration is required. Longitudinal and transverse cross-sections of these samples are shown, demonstrating a resolution of about ten μm. Our results show that this technique can easily provide biologists with interesting information about the evolution of the internal structure of a sample which would otherwise necessitate long preparation procedures and the observation of many cross-sections.