Autoradiography

Autoradiography is the localization within a solid specimen of a radiolabel by placing the specimen against a layer of detector material. Many types of specimen can be studied, from whole organisms to ultra-this cryosections. Indeed, rather than being a single technique, autoradiography is a collection of methods with certain features in common. Between them, these techniques can supply information at the macroscopic, microscopic, and ultrastructural levels, and their use is important to biological scientists in a variety of research areas. In this handbook, the author provides a comprehensive overview of the major techniques of autoradiography. With the aid of numerous illustrations, the various methods are clearly described, and the information which they can provide is discussed. Suggestions for further reading are provided at the end of most chapters. The student involved in biological or biomedical research will find this an invaluable introduction to the theory and techniques of autoradiography, and a clear guide to choosing the correct approach for his or her particular application. It will also be of interest to more experienced researchers, who are already familiar with one particular method, and wish to broaden their approach to another level.