Simultaneous dehydration and infiltration with (2-hydroxyethyl)-methacrylate (HEMA) for lipid preservation in plant tissues

Abstract

Although this study aims to develop an improved method for the preservation of reserve lipids in plant tissues for different uses in plant anatomy, it mostly aims to develop an improved method for the identification of lipid reserves where synthesis or storage occurs. The proposed procedures entail only the utilization of (2-hydroxyethyl)-methacrylate (HEMA) as a dehydration agent. One of the procedures is based on the gradual exchange of aqueous HEMA solutions with increasing concentrations. In another procedure, dehydration and infiltration are induced by the presence of silica gel around a modified microcentrifuge tube containing the aqueous HEMA solution with the plant tissues, thus allowing efficient lipid preservation. Both procedures resulted in simultaneous dehydration and infiltration of the endosperm and embryo of Ricinus communis, while eliminating the use of ethyl alcohol, thus providing better lipid preservation.

Keywords

• embryo
• endosperm
• HEMA
• lipids
• plant anatomy
• plant microtechnique