RE: Stain for EMA embedded bone

From:Serena Leung


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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