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Image contrast in sections of epoxy resin-embedded biological material: maintenance of a proper anhydride-epoxy ratio
H H Mollenhauer1, R E Droleskey
1Food Animal Protection Research Laboratory, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, College Station, Texas 77845, USA.
Abstract:
Epoxy resins are mixtures of several components formulated in exact proportions to assure proper polymerization. It is necessary that this composition be maintained throughout the tissue being infiltrated to avoid embedding artifacts. Unfortunately, the separate resin components will not penetrate the tissue at the same rate unless they all have the same viscosity and molecular size. Failure to meet these criteria will result in component separation during tissue infiltration and may result in severe embedding defects. This and several ancillary problems such as low tissue contrast, damage to diamond knives, and poor postsection staining are explored in this brief discussion.