Sectioning the insect (or whatever arthropod) immediately after 
molting will catch the chitin when it is softest. For additional advice see:
Trans. Am. Micros. Soc. 74:197-201, 1955
Nature 184:1584-1585, Nov. 14, 1959.

Geoff

Etheridge, Sandra AGF:EX wrote:

>Hello, everyone,
>
>Does anyone know how to soften chitin (the polysaccharide hard shell of many
>invertebrates) for sectioning?  I know of methods for keratin and
>decalcification, but have not come across any for chitin.  We often receive
>the parasites collected with our deceased, large marine mammals, and the
>pathologists want sections of them as well.
>
>Thanks in advance for your help.
>
>Sandra Etheridge
>Animal Health Center, Histology
>BC Ministry of Agriculture, Food & Fisheries
>Abbotsford, BC
>Canada
>_______________________________________________
>Histonet mailing list
>Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu
>http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet
>
>  
>

-- 
--
**********************************************
Geoff McAuliffe, Ph.D.
Neuroscience and Cell Biology
Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
675 Hoes Lane, Piscataway, NJ 08854
voice: (732)-235-4583; fax: -4029 
mcauliff@umdnj.edu
**********************************************




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