History and development of plastination techniques.

Area of Science:

• Anatomy
• Medical Education
• Materials Science

Background:

• Plastination emerged as a significant advancement for macroscopic anatomical preparation.
• Precursors included exsiccation, polymer embedding, and hardening impregnation techniques.

Observation:

• Plastination produces dry, odorless, tangible, and durable specimens.
• This enables novel exhibition and teaching setups, alongside sophisticated specimen preparation and positioning.

Findings:

• Silicone plastination (S10) is widely used, with subsequent developments for research and sectional anatomy.
• Sheet plastination variations offer research utility and new methods for visualizing topographic relations and mesoscopic insights.

Implications:

• Plastination techniques have spurred innovation in anatomical displays and educational tools.
• Related methods like corrosion casting and diaphonization have seen renewed applications and development.