[Histonet] Fetus fixation

[Charles Scouten]

Just as the brain is protected by the blood brain barrier, the fetal and mother blood are kept separate.  Perfusion of the mother might not reach the fetus. The blood brain barrier can be broken by high pressure (300 mm Hg.)to wash out the extracellular fluid in brain and avoid shrinkage when the formaldehyde gets there.  I would be very curious to know if this works for fetal tissue as well.  If the tissue is soft 12 hours post fixation, it has also deteriorated considerably.  Cutting whole head might work, but is not the solution you need.  You must get fixative to perfuse the fetus.  

If high pressure does not work, I wonder if there is a blood vessel you can get to to perfuse the fetus instead of the mother.

The Perfusion One apparatus at the following site could provide the pressure perfusion and see if that does it.  

http://www.myneurolab.com/myneurolab/mnl_products_detail.asp?idproduct=471001&catdesc=Histology+Equipment&CatThreeID=674&CatOneID=4&subcatdesc=Sacrifice+Equipment&idsubcategory=21

Call me to arrange a test.


Cordially,
Charles W.  Scouten, Ph.D. 
myNeuroLab.com 
5918 Evergreen Blvd. 
St. Louis, MO 63134 
Ph: 314 522 0300  
FAX  314 522 0377 
cwscouten <@t> myneurolab.com 
http://www.myneurolab.com 


-----Original Message-----
From: histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu [mailto:histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu] On Behalf Of Pablo Sánchez Quinteiro
Sent: Tuesday, March 23, 2004 1:01 PM
To: Histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
Subject: [Histonet] Fetus fixation

Dear listers,

I am trying to cut brains from fetal mice (E19) fixed in Paraformaldehyde 4% with the vibratome.

I have problems with the perfusion of the mother. The fixative does not reach the fetuses and these even after 12 hours postfixation in the same fixative are too soft to take the brains out. Could you give me some input?
Have you tried to cut in vibratome the whole head of the fetus? Is it possible?

Thanks in advance

Pablo




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