GLYCOL METHACRYLATE EMBEDDING FOR LIGHT-MICROSCOPY - BASIC PRINCIPLESAND TROUBLESHOOTING

Acrylic resin mixtures are now widely used as embedding media for the preparation of tissue sections. Most of these mixtures are based on 2- hydroxyethyl methacrylate (glycol methacrylate, GMA). Resin embedding preserves tissue components far better than paraffin, celloidin or fro zen sections. The present review describes the basic principles and tr ouble shooting, in particular: the chemical and physical properties of GMA, and components used for GMA mixtures; fixation of tissues for re sin embedding; methods for dehydration; microtomy; stretching on water and mounting in relation to the final dimensions of GMA sections; sta ining of GMA 3embedded tissue sections; and the use of GMA resins in i mmunohistochemistry. In addition, standard, step by step procedures fo r embedding tissues in GMA is included.