title: Methyl methacrylate embedding to study the morphology and immunohistochemistry of adult guinea pig and mouse cochleae.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Histological analysis of the cochlea is required to understand the physiological and pathological processes in the inner ear. In the past, many embedding techniques have been tested in the cochlea to find an optimal protocol that gives both good morphological and immunohistochemical results. Resins provide high quality cochlear morphology with reduced immunogenicity due to the higher polymerization temperature.
  
  
  METHODS
  We used Technovit 9100 New(®), a low temperature embedding system based on methyl methacrylate, on adult guinea pig and mouse cochleae to evaluate preservation of the morphology and maintenance of the antigenicity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Conventional toluidine blue staining, as well as immunohistochemical staining with a set of commonly used antibodies, showed highly preserved morphology and immunogenicity of decalcified adult guinea pig and mouse cochleae.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We demonstrate both, well-preserved morphology and preservation of antigenicity, superior to other embedding techniques.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results showed that the Technovit 9100 New(®) embedding system provided highly preserved morphology and immunogenicity with our protocol in adult guinea pig and mouse cochleae.
authors.affiliation: Tübingen Hearing Research Centre, Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany; Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bako
authors.affiliation: Tübingen Hearing Research Centre, Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Mohamed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bassiouni
authors.affiliation: Tübingen Hearing Research Centre, Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany; Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Eaton-Peabody Laboratories, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Eckhard
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary.
authors.forename: Imre
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Gerlinger
authors.affiliation: Tübingen Hearing Research Centre, Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Frick
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine and Health Sciences - European Medical School, University Hospital of Otorhinolaryngology, Medical Campus, University of Oldenburg, Steinweg 13-17, 26122 Oldenburg, Germany; Research Center of Neurosensory Science, University of Oldenburg, 26111 Oldenburg, Germany; Cluster of Excellence Hearing4all, University of Oldenburg, 26111 Oldenburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Hubert
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Löwenheim
authors.affiliation: Tübingen Hearing Research Centre, Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany; School of Medicine and Health Sciences - European Medical School, University Hospital of Otorhinolaryngology, Medical Campus, University of Oldenburg, Steinweg 13-17, 26122 Oldenburg, Germany; Research Center of Neurosensory Science, University of Oldenburg, 26111 Oldenburg, Germany; Cluster of Excellence Hearing4all, University of Oldenburg, 26111 Oldenburg, Germany. Electronic address: marcus.mueller@uni-tuebingen.de.
authors.forename: Marcus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Müller
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D064032:Calbindin 2 / Q000378:metabolism; D003051:Cochlea / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D003080:Cold Temperature; D004396:Coloring Agents; D004852:Epoxy Compounds; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000379:methods*; D020366:Methylmethacrylate; D051379:Mice; D016610:Tissue Embedding / Q000379:methods*; D014048:Tolonium Chloride
chemical_list: D064032:Calbindin 2; D004396:Coloring Agents; D004852:Epoxy Compounds; D014048:Tolonium Chloride; D020366:Methylmethacrylate
keywords: Cochlea; Immunohistochemistry; Morphology; Organ of Corti; Resin embedding; Spiral ganglion neuron