SEM Imaging of Mouse Blood Cells

Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was performed as described previously (Huang et al. 2016 (link)). Mouse blood was fixed overnight in 3% EM-grade glutaraldehyde (Sigma-Aldrich) at 4° immediately upon collection. The samples were washed with MT-PBS 3 times, 10 min each time. The cells were then adhered to the coverslips with 0.1% polyethylenimine (PEI) for 10 min, before washing with MT-PBS. The cells were then dried serially using 30, 50, 70, 80, 90, 100, and 100% ethanol, for 10 min each. The cells were then soaked in 1:1 ethanol: hexamethyldisilazane solution for 10 min, followed by two washes with 100% hexamethyldisilazane (Sigma-Aldrich), each for 10 min. The coverslips were then air dried overnight, coated with gold, and then examined under a JEOL JSM-6480LV scanning electron microscope.