Comparison of Classical SEM and ESEM Protocols for Study of Conifer Embryogénie Tissues with Using Low Temperature Conditions of ESEM

Somatic or asexual embryogenesis is the process whereby genetically identical trees are produced through the production of embryo-like structures from somatic cells and are the primary enabling technology for all plant biotechnology products. A well-established and commonly used method for the study of plant samples is light optical microscopy. High resolution and depth of field of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) is necessary to the study of embryo micromorphology etc. Nevertheless, the SEM requires complex preparation processes to make the sample stable in vacuum conditions and also electrically conductive. Each step of sample preparation can cause various artifact formations and/or destructions of the finer features, especially in a case of plant early somatic embryos covered with a susceptible extracellular matrix (ECM).