[Histonet] decalcifying sheep knee joints

[John Kiernan]

The answer is either neutral EDTA for several weeks or in an acid for fewer weeks. It's all there in the books! 

There's no quick way to decalcify a big bone. 

Nothing is "special" about safranine O. It is a red cationic dye that attaches to tissue anions such as nucleic acids (cell nuclei) and polyanions in mucus, bacterial and plant cell walls etc. 

John Kiernan
London, Canada
= = =
On 06/02/15, Fiona J Wright  <fiona.wright <@t> sheffield.ac.uk> wrote:
> Can anyone help me out with a problem Im going to have in a few months? I
> will be receiving some sheep joints for processing. They will need to be
> decalcified in a manner that will leave the tissue suitable for
> immunohistochemistry and special stains such as safranin O. How do I go
> about this? I have previously only worked with mouse bones and decalcified
> for several weeks in EDTA; this has always given me good histological
> results, but I fear for sheep bones this methodology would take months.
> 
> Any advice gratefully received.
> 
> Fiona Wright
> 
> Dept of Infection and Immunity
> University of Sheffield
> K118, Medical School
> Beech Hill Road
> Sheffield
> S10 2RX
> fiona.wright <@t> sheffield.ac.uk
> 0114 271 2102
> 07769 334438
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