Preparation of methacrylate-embedded cytologic smears from prefixed cells

A new method of preparing smears of alcohol-fixed cytologic material by using methacrylate embedding medium to make the cells adhere on plain glass slides is presented. After centrifugation, the cytologic material was mixed with Lowicryl K4M embedding medium and smeared on slides. The polymerization process was achieved by exposing the slides to ultraviolet light. The morphology in such smears was similar to that of specimens prepared by the filter technique. The methacrylate method does not have the most common disadvantages of the filter technique--the development of air bubbles over time and the visually disturbing presence of the filter.