An improved method for preparing whole specimens from bovine preimplantation embryos: A technique note

A method was devised to prevent loss of whole embryos during fixation. Specimens were prepared in a chamber saturated with fixative vapors consisting of 3 : 1 (v/v) 96%. ethanol/glacial acetic acid. Good quality specimens were obtained after fixation for at least 24 but not more than 72 h. After staining, specimens could be preserved for 3 to 4 d by storage in the fixation chamber, in 45% aqueous acetic acid vapor. Using the method suggested in this paper prevents loss of early embryos during fixation and allows storage of specimens for longer than usual time while maintaining the quality of the specimen.