We have used methyl salicylate on a vascular study.  We used india ink as our
marker.  It worked very well.  I don't know if it would fade or remove
fluorecent dyes.  If you need a protocol let me know and I'll send it to you.

-- ************************
Karen Bowden
kbowden@ucsd.edu
Research Associate
Department of Orthopedics  - 0630
University of California, San Diego
9500 Gilman Dr.
La Jolla, CA  92093-0630

(858) 277-4970
(858) 277-4974 Fax

Jaclynn Lett wrote:

> We're looking for clearing agents for viewing whole mounts of mouse cochleas
> under the dissecting scope.  They'll be labeled with fluorescent tags such
> as Cy-3, Texas Red and ethidium homodimers, so the clearing agent must not
> dissolve the tag.  Also, since we'll be looking at the tissue under a scope,
> the agent should not be toxic nor have obnoxious fumes.
>
> I'm aware of the citrus-based clearing agents, and oils such as wintergreen
> (methyl salicylate), but have no idea as to they're suitability for our
> purpose (or whether the cochleas should be decalcified as well).
>
> If anyone has any insight, I would much appreciated the assistance.
>
> Thank you,
>
> Jaclynn M. Lett, Research Technician
>
> Fay and Carl Simons Center for Biology of Hearing and Deafness
> Central Institute for the Deaf
> 4560 Clayton Av