US EPA

6606998 

Journal Article 

A new method for embedding tissues in Vestopal W 

Kurtz, SM 

1961 

5 

(5) 

468-469 

10.1016/s0022-5320(61)80020-8 

BCI:BCI19623800004394 

The excellence of the polyester Vestopal W as an embedding medium for biological electron microscopy has been demonstrated by several investigators. However, in the hands of many, unpredictable poor infiltration was too frequent to render the technique trustworthy. The present work describes a technique for using Vestopal W in which ethyl alcohol followed by styrene monomer is used to dehydrate the tissues prior to infiltration and embedding with catalyzed Vestopal W. This differs from the original technique described by Ryter and Kellenberger, who used mixtures of acetone and Vestopal to process the tissue. The new technique was devised since the effectiveness of acetone as a dehydrating agent, when compared to ethyl alcohol, was questionable, and also because it was known that traces of acetone carried into the embedding could have a deleterious effect upon the finished product. The technique described has yielded such consistently excellent embedding that it has replaced all other methods and media used in our laboratory. || ABSTRACT AUTHORS: Author