PREPARATION OF HARD TISSUES – BONE AND TEETH – 1
The preparation of histological sections of hard tissues is a challenge that must be solved by specific methodologies.
Bone and teeth are rigid tissues due to the presence of a great amount of mineral salts in their extracellular spaces, mainly crystals of calcium phosphate. For this reason they are also called mineralizated or calcified tissues.
As these tissues are very hard, regular microtomes are not capable of sectioning mineralized tissues. However, special microtomes can do so.
The following page describes some methods for obtaining histological sections by first dissolving and getting rid of the calcium salts.
Bone and teeth are rigid tissues due to the presence of a great amount of mineral salts in their extracellular spaces, mainly crystals of calcium phosphate. For this reason they are also called mineralizated or calcified tissues.
As these tissues are very hard, regular microtomes are not capable of sectioning mineralized tissues. However, special microtomes can do so.
The following page describes some methods for obtaining histological sections by first dissolving and getting rid of the calcium salts.