Fig. 5

a–d Synapses from dissociated hippocampal neurons labeled with synapsin I, an SV-associated protein [18]. Thin sections were counterstained in a & b, and unstained in c & d. Labeling density on synaptic vesicle clusters is higher after 8 min of HQ silver enhancement (a, c) than after 10 min of Goldenhance treatment (b, d). Notably, in Goldenhance-treated samples (b, d), there were fine particles (small arrows) all over membranes in both stained (b) and unstained (d) sections, indicating that these fine particles are not artifacts of counterstaining. e A neuronal soma of perfusion-fixed brain labeled with synaptophysin, known to be present at the Golgi complex [18]. This sample was treated with Goldenhance and only the large particles localized on Golgi (large arrows) are real signals. The fine particles present on membranes of Golgi complex, multivesicular body (MVB), and the inner and outer membranes of mitochondria (small arrow in e) are artifacts of the Goldenhance reagents. Asterisks (*) marks the cytosolic area devoid of the fine particles that nonspecifically decorated all membranes. Scale bars = 100 nm. a–d share the same scale bar