Whatman filter paper type 1

The integrity of unloaded and loaded RBCs was studied using a transmission electron microscope (TEM) JEOL JEM-1011 operating at an accelerating voltage of 100 kV. TEM analysis on RBC samples was performed after their fixation with 2.5% glutaraldehyde, as previously reported [3 (link)]. For the TEM analysis of whole RBCs, the cells were cast onto a polymer-coated grid and embedded in an ultrathin polysaccharide film. In detail, 6–7 µL of glutaraldehyde-fixed RBCs (1–4% Ht) were dropped onto a formvar-coated copper grid and left to react for at least 5 min; after that, the grid was washed twice upside down on a 50 μL drop of water, for 1 min; then, the grid was positioned again upside down on a 50 μL drop of cold carboxymethyl-dextran (10 mg/mL, in water) for 5–10 min; finally, the excess liquid was removed by capillarity with a Whatman filter paper (type 1). The grid was left to dry for 5 min at room temperature and stored for the subsequent analysis.

The integrity of unloaded and loaded RBCs was studied using a transmission electron microscope (TEM) JEOL JEM-1011 operating at an accelerating voltage of 100 kV. TEM analysis on RBC samples was performed after their fixation with 2.5% glutaraldehyde, as previously reported [3 (link)]. For the TEM analysis of whole RBCs, the cells were cast onto a polymer-coated grid and embedded in an ultrathin polysaccharide film. In detail, 6–7 µL of glutaraldehyde-fixed RBCs (1–4% Ht) were dropped onto a formvar-coated copper grid and left to react for at least 5 min; after that, the grid was washed twice upside down on a 50 μL drop of water, for 1 min; then, the grid was positioned again upside down on a 50 μL drop of cold carboxymethyl-dextran (10 mg/mL, in water) for 5–10 min; finally, the excess liquid was removed by capillarity with a Whatman filter paper (type 1). The grid was left to dry for 5 min at room temperature and stored for the subsequent analysis.