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 composition. For this reason they are also called mineralizated or calcified tissues.
As they are too hard, regular microtomes are not capable of sectioning mineralized tissues. However, special microtomes that can do so.
The following page describe 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 composition. For this reason they are also called mineralizated or calcified tissues.
As they are too hard, regular microtomes are not capable of sectioning mineralized tissues. However, special microtomes that can do so.
The following page describe some methods for obtaining histological sections by first dissolving and getting rid of the calcium salts.