Overview of Microwave Applications in the Neurosciences

This paper gives an overview of Microwave Applications in the Neurosciences and introduces this issue of the Journal of Neuroscience Methods. Emphasis is laid on: temperature, hotspots, hazards and cycle times in the use of the microwave oven. Consequences of the tissue dimensions and masking of antigens are discussed. Special problems encountered are: bulk preparation of specimens, brain electron microscopy, cooling of specimens during microwaving and the combination of microwave techniques. The recent developments discussed are vacuum-microwave application for large brain specimens and antigen retrieval.