RE: Stain for EMA embedded bone
The specimens are embedded in ethylmethacrylate, not methylmethacryate. I
am not sure if the plastic can be removed with solvent or not.
Unfortunately all that I have to work with here as far as reference
materials are old protocols and some really old books.
I have been acid etching the specimens only because it was in the H and E
protocol here in the lab, but I think that way back when they must have
gotten the protocol from a reliable source. Also, I have talked to one
other histologist who told me to etch the specimens.
Let me know what other info you need and I will tell you all that I can .
I appreciate your help!
Serena
-----Original Message-----
From: rueggp [SMTP:rueggp@earthlink.net]
Sent: Tuesday, March 26, 2002 10:36 AM
To: Serena Leung
Cc: 'histonet@pathology.swmed.edu'
Subject: Re: Stain for EMA embedded bone
Serena,
give us a little more info. i assume you are using methylmethacrylate
since
you have implants and you are grinding, but i don't know. etching is
usually
done on GMA because it can not be removed. can you remove the plastic with
solvent?
Patsy
Serena Leung wrote:
> Hi All!
>
> I am very new to the field of histology and need some help finding an
> appropriate stain for ethylmethacrylate embedded bone with a metal
implant.
>
> The specimen we have is already embedded (unfotunately not very well, it
> has lots of bubbles) and ~ 3mm thick. I have been hand grinding all of
my
> practice specimens to less than 100 microns and acid etching them with 1%
> formic acid before staining.
>
> We would ideally like to be able to stain for fibrous tissue/granuloma
and
> be able to see polyethylene particles under polarized light. So far we
> have tried H and E, but only the bone stains and not the fibrous tissue.
> Is this because the specimens are embedded or because the formic acid we
> have is really old? Or some other reason?
>
> If anyone has any experience with plastic embedded bones, your help would
> be greatly appreciated. Ideally we would like something simple and
> relatively inexpensive. Thanks in advance!
>
> Serena Leung
>
> Anderson Orthopaedic Research Institute
> Alexandria, VA
> 703-619-4414
> SLeung@aori.org
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