A modification of the chronic tartrate silver impregnation technique for block impregnation of the central nervous system and paraffin wax embedding.
This paper describes a block silver impregnation technique for the CNS. The procedure, which is quite simple, yields highly consistent and reproducible results. After fixation during 6-10 days in 10% saline formaldehyde, 4 mm thick blocks of brain are treated with chromic anhydride and sodium potassium tartrate solution for 4 days. After this period the specimens are rinsed in 0.75% silver nitrate solution to which 8-10 drops of pyridine per 100 ml of solution have been added. This is followed by impregnation for 4 days at 37 degrees C in silver nitrate-pyridine solution identical to that used in the previous rinsing step. The impregnated blocks are reduced during 20-26 h in 1% pyrogallol to which 6 ml commercial formaldehyde per 100 ml of solution have been added, followed by dehydration in dioxan and paraffin embedding. Sections no thicker than 30 microns are then cut for histological study. This fundamentally neurofibrillar method reveals: neuronal somata and their processes; synaptic structures; fibre bundles; and cell nuclei and nucleoli.
Abadía-Fenoll
F
F
Ostos Garrido
M V
MV
López-Lendínez
J L
JL
Carmona Martos
R
R
D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D002415:Cats; D006652:Histological Techniques; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D011784:Quail; D011817:Rabbits; D013194:Staining and Labeling