Table 1 Pre-treatment solutions tested.

From: Quick and inexpensive paraffin-embedding method for dynamic bone formation analyses

Pre-treatment solution

Incubation time

Bone sectioning results

Fabric Softener #1

96 hour

Could not be sectioned

Fabric Softener #2

96 hour

Could not be sectioned

Nail Soft #1

96 hour

Could not be sectioned

Nail Soft #2

96 hour

Could not be sectioned

2.5% (v/v) Aqueous KOH #1

96 hour

Very poorly at 4 microns

2.5% (v/v) Aqueous KOH #2

96 hour

Very poorly at 4 microns

5.0% (v/v) Aqueous KOH #1

96 hour

Well at 4 microns

5.0% (v/v) Aqueous KOH #2

96 hour

Well at 4 microns

10.0% (v/v) Aqueous KOH #1

96 hour

Very well at 4 microns

10.0% (v/v) Aqueous KOH #2

96 hour

Very well at 4 microns

5.0% (v/v) Aqueous KOH #1

48 hour

Poor at 4 microns

5.0% (v/v) Aqueous KOH #2

48 hour

Poor at 4 microns

  1. For each pilot pre-treatment two bone were tested (#1, #2). Subsequent sectioning information: Fabric Softner: blocks were placed on cold ice block moistened with water for 5 minutes prior to sectioning (no additional softening added); Nail Softener: blocks were placed on cold ice block moistened with water for 5 minutes prior to sectioning (no additional softening added); 2.5% Aqueous potassium hydroxide (KOH): blocks were placed in 1% KOH in a dish on an ice block 10 minutes prior to sectioning at 4 microns – this protocol allowed sectioning of approximately 10 sections before returning to cold plate; 5.0% Aqueous KOH: blocks were placed in 1% KOH in a dish on an ice block 10 minutes prior to sectioning at 4 microns – this allowed us to obtain 6 to 8 sections before returning to cold plate; 10.0% KOH: blocks were placed in 1% KOH in a dish on an ice block 5 minutes prior to sectioning at 4 microns – this allowed us to section approximately 6–8 sections before returning to cold plate; 5.0% KOH for 48 hr – allowed us to obtain 4 sections.
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