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Fixation and Sectioning

Fixation and Sectioning

Two basic types of preparation are used to visualize specimens with a light microscope: wet mounts and fixed specimens.
The simplest type of preparation is the wet mount, in which the specimen is placed in a drop of liquid on the slide. A liquid specimen can be directly deposited on the slide using a dropper. Solid specimens, such as skin scraping, can be placed on the slide before adding a drop of liquid to prepare the wet mount. Sometimes the liquid is simply water, but stains are often added...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Nov 30, 2025

Undecalcified Bone Preparation for Histology, Histomorphometry and Fluorochrome Analysis

Undecalcified Bone Preparation for Histology, Histomorphometry and Fluorochrome Analysis

Published on: January 8, 2010

Processing and Sectioning Undecalcified Murine Bone Specimens.

Thomas B Bemenderfer¹, Jonathan S Harris¹, Keith W Condon²

¹Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA.

Methods in Molecular Biology (Clifton, N.J.)

|November 16, 2020

Summary

This study details the histological preparation of mineralized mouse bones for bone-specific staining. The methods cover fixation, dehydration, embedding, sectioning, and staining for light microscopy analysis.

Keywords:

Bone Dehydration Embedding Fixation Methyl methacrylate Sectioning Staining

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Last Updated: Nov 30, 2025

Undecalcified Bone Preparation for Histology, Histomorphometry and Fluorochrome Analysis

Undecalcified Bone Preparation for Histology, Histomorphometry and Fluorochrome Analysis

Published on: January 8, 2010

Tissue Preparation and Immunostaining of Mouse Craniofacial Tissues and Undecalcified Bone

Tissue Preparation and Immunostaining of Mouse Craniofacial Tissues and Undecalcified Bone

Published on: May 10, 2019

Automated Quantification of Hematopoietic Cell – Stromal Cell Interactions in Histological Images of Undecalcified Bone

Automated Quantification of Hematopoietic Cell – Stromal Cell Interactions in Histological Images of Undecalcified Bone

Published on: April 8, 2015

Area of Science:

Histology
Biomedical Engineering
Materials Science

Background:

Mineralized tissue preparation is crucial for visualizing bone morphology.
Standard histological techniques are essential for bone-specific staining.

Purpose of the Study:

To describe a comprehensive protocol for processing mineralized mouse bones.
To enable histological analysis and light microscopy of bone tissue.

Main Methods:

Specimens fixed in 10% neutral buffered formalin (NBF).
Dehydrated in graded ethanol (EtOH) and embedded in polymethyl methacrylate (MMA).
Sectioned into 4-10 micrometer (μm) slices and stained using bone-specific stains (e.g., von Kossa, TRAP).

Main Results:

Successful preparation of mineralized mouse bone sections.
Visualization of tissue and cellular morphology achieved through various staining techniques.
Protocol provides a reproducible method for histological analysis.

Conclusions:

The described histological technique provides a reliable method for preparing mineralized mouse bone specimens.
This protocol facilitates detailed examination of bone morphology and cellular structures using light microscopy.
The study offers a valuable resource for researchers in bone biology and related fields.