COMPARATIVE EFFECTS OF FIXATION AND STORAGE ON BONE TETRACYCLINE FLUORESCENCE

As an adjunct to an ongoing project, ends of longbones, including the growth plate, were collected from tetracycline labelled immature rabbi ts and calves. Samples were stored from a few days up to two months at room temperature, refrigerator temperature (+4 degrees C), -20 degree s C, or -70 degrees C, and unfixed, formalin-fixed or alcohol-fixed. Q ualitative and quantitative aspects of cut sections were evaluated. Fr eezing resulted in the least alteration. Fixed bone samples (alcohol o r formalin) all progressively discoloured with increasing storage. Com parison between fresh, stored and differently fixed sections did not i dentify any change in the measured distance between labels; though the clarity of the labels was affected. Formalin fixation and storage did not result in mark degradation nor alteration of the labels.