[Histonet] cadaveric bone

[Louise Renton]

Hi all - a somewhat morbid question for the weekend. A student in the
anatomy dept came to me with wax embedded samlpes of demineralized
bone from dissection cadavers. The bone is very flinty and difficult
to section. Is this perhaps due to the preseravation/embalming process
that the bodies undergo? Is there something I can do to alleviate this
problem prior to processing?

I have tried  dewaxing and furher demineralization, but the problem
sems to be in the matrix itself--

BTW, using my usual protocol I ahv been able to section elephant tusk
- so I think the prob is the bone rather than what I am doing to it


best love & haev a great weekend

Louise Renton
Bone Research Unit
University of the Witwatersrand
Johannesburg
South Africa
+27 11 717 2298 (tel & fax)
073 5574456 (emergencies only)
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