Aplicaciones de la microscopia electrónica de transmisión en microbiología para fines de diagnóstico y en la investigación patógeno-huésped.

Abstract

Transmission electron microscopy is a technique that uses an accelerated electron beam, only those that pass through the sample generate the image on the fluorescent screen, but not, those that bounce or are absorbed by the sample. That is why it has been relevant in the present investigation to determine the main applications of transmission electron microscopy, which by means of a bibliographic review of scientific articles on the subject, it is shown that transmission electron microscopy allows determining the chemical composition and observing ultrastructural characteristics of microorganisms that could not be achieved with other types of microscopes, in addition it allows the rapid diagnosis and differentiation of diseases of viral origin. Among the applications in which its use is essential we find: bacteriology, virology, identification of certain protozoa, among others. Transmission electron microscopy shows the pathogen-host relationship, by observing at an ultrastructural level the behavior of the host's defense cells against invading pathogens, which makes it possible to understand the infectious process from which a study focused on the control, prevention and treatment to combat the pathogen and subsequent disease. The procedure to follow to achieve the correct processing and analysis of the sample consists of a double fixation, washing, dehydration, infiltration, polymerization, sectioning and staining.