LARGE SPECIMEN BONE EMBEDMENT AND CEMENT LINE STAINING

Undecalcified embedment of large bone specimens is often challenging. A method is presented here that is suitable for methacrylate embedment of sections of canine vertebrae while retaining the ability to locali ze tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase and alkaline phosphatase activi ty. Specimens also retained tetracycline labelling, and sectioned prep arations were readily stained with routine bone procedures, A modifica tion of the Bodian silver stain, used for examining the nerves and spi nal cord in these specimens, provided a useful stain for canaliculi an d cement lines in trabecular and cortical bone. This stain is advantag eous when both bone and nerve tissue are of interest, as in spinal fus ion studies.