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