Chemical Analyses of Fossil Bone

摘要: The preservation of microstructures consistent with soft tissues, cells, and other biological components in demineralized fragments dinosaur bone tens millions years old was unexpected, counter to current hypotheses tissue, cellular, molecular degradation. Although the morphological similarity these tissues extant counterparts unmistakable, after at least 80 million exposed geochemical influences, is insufficient support an endogenous source. To test this hypothesis, characterize materials a level, we applied multiple independent chemical, molecular, microscopic analyses identify presence original produced by extinct organisms. Microscopic techniques included field emission scanning electron microscopy, analytical transmission transmitted light microscopy (LM), fluorescence (FM). chemical include enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay, sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, western blot (immunoblot), attenuated total reflectance infrared spectroscopy. In situ performed directly on immunohistochemistry time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry. details sample preparation methodology are described detail herein.