Phase-contrast microscopy of the primate retina

Abstract

The study of hematoxylin and eosin stained thick sections (15 pm) of the primate retina with the phasecontrast microscope provided a means for the selective demonstration of many cellular structures that could not be resolved with the same degree of detail which was possible when bright-field microscopy was used, or when phase-contrast microscopy was employed to examine unstained material. The H & E-stain greatly enhanced the phase-contrast image, so that cytoplasmic structure, fiber trajectories, and gross synaptic detail of the retina could be demonstrated to better advantage.