A new plastic for morphometric investigation of blood vessels, especially in large organs such as the human liver.
In this paper a technique is described, using Araldite CY 223 and hardener HY 2967 as injection material, for preparing corrosion casts or histological sections. The plastic has a viscosity (at 39-40 degrees C) similar to that of blood, a gelling time of approximately 17 min (at 40 degrees C), and an exothermic transition energy of delta H = 80.28 +/- 3.20 cal/gm. The influence of the plastic on the tissue is discussed. The histological sectioning of fixed tissue containing Araldite-filled blood vessels after embedding in 2-hydroxyethyl-methacrylate (GMA) is described. When using GMA in a modification of the mixtures of Ruddell (1967) and Sims (1974), methylbenzoate is recommended as an intermedium in order to obtain a more uniform infiltration and reproducible section thickness. At the same time methylbenzoate is recommended as a storing fluid. Sections of 2-3 micrometers afford satisfying morphologic and morphometric results. This method allows various arterial wall dimensions to be measured easily, and provides a suitable means to compare histometric values with SEM data derived from corrosion casts.
D001808:Blood Vessels / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D055598:Chemical Phenomena; D002621:Chemistry; D004853:Epoxy Resins; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000098:blood supply*; D008722:Methods; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D008953:Models, Anatomic; D010796:Phthalic Anhydrides; D010969:Plastics
D004853:Epoxy Resins; D010796:Phthalic Anhydrides; D010969:Plastics; C005752:araldite