AN IMPROVED AUTORADIOGRAPHIC COATING TECHNIQUE FOR NEUROHISTOPATHOLOGICAL STAINS AND ELECTRON-MICROSCOPY

We describe modifications and improvements to our first report of a ne w nuclear emulsion coating technique for both light and electron micro scopic autoradiography. Although this technique was originally designe d to facilitate electron microscopic autoradiography, the methodology also allows pre-staining of plastic-embedded tissue sections prior to coating the slides with nuclear emulsion for light microscopic autorad iography. We now demonstrate that paraffin sections can be autoradiogr aphically processed after being subjected to a combination of immunocy tochemical reactions and special neuroanatomical stains. Parlodion fil m has been found to be more resistant to temperature changes and less prone to contamination than Formvar film. The shape of the double adhe sive tape is an important aspect of the electron microscopic technique ; it has been modified to minimize contamination and facilitate the re moval of the grids from the glass slide. These technical adjustments f acilitate the application of the nuclear emulsion and increase radionu clide specificity, thus expanding the investigative horizons of light and electron microscopic autoradiography.