Permanent slide cells

[Adz795]

The stained cells in a permanent slide, are they alive or dead..? or are they simply arrested in that state?

I've never made a permanent slide, hence I wonder what the case is.

[canalon]

Not sure what you call a permanent slide. If you are talking a bout the microscope slides that was prepared 20 years ago to be shown to all the students in biology class interested (or or not) in the anatomy of he cricket, then, yes the cells are dead. They have been fixed and stained or the opposite, and there is very likely little water (but lots of resins) left in them.

[Adz795]

Yea, I just meant those kind of slides!

Okay. I don't think 'dead' would be an appropriate word. I think they're sort of 'frozen' in time, since they carry out no activity ie zero metabolism. Dead would probably imply apoptosis. I don't know if I am correct.

What if you keep the cells in an aqueous environment (so as to rehydrate them), provide air and glucose?
Would that be enough to make the cell 'alive'? Because what I think what can make a cell like that dead (ie frozen) is shortage of energy source or water. (Any other options like DNA damage, lysozomes bursting, etc. may be irrelevant since the cells are simply 'frozen' not apoptosed)

[canalon]

You might not see it, but the protein are likely denaturated, the membranes are damaged, many nutrients and molecules stires are fully depleted, and all the water has been replaced by solids. Besides burning them you could not damage them more. They will not restart.

Just as if you were slicing the engine of your car in pieces, however amount of gasoline you would pour in, it will not restart. Even if you piece it neatly back together.

[Adz795]

So, they are irreparably ruined and shown to us. lol
Now, I understand.
Thanks a lot!