A method for detecting visceral malformations in gelatin-embedded rat fetuses using an automatic slicing apparatus

A method for observing whole rat fetal viscera embedded in gelatin using an automatic slicing apparatus is described. Fetuses were immersed in Bouin's solution. Part of the thoracic and abdominal skin of each fetus was removed, and fetuses were immersed consecutively in sodium bicarbonate 30% in 70% ethanol, gelatin 15% in water, gelatin 30% in water, then embedded in fresh 30% gelatin. The gelatin blocks containing the fetuses were immersed in 10% formalin. After fixation, the block was sliced into 200 microns serial transverse sections using a rotor-slicer at a rotation speed of 120 rpm and a cutting speed of 25 mm/sec. Complete slicing of a single fetus required about 20 min. The advantages of the method presented here include: complete fetal serial sections are produced, thin and uniform sections are obtained easily, viscera can be identified easily, and observation can be carried out at any time after slicing. The method presented can be used to detect whole fetal visceral malformations in developmental toxicity tests.