Preparing Epoxy Sections of Insect Tissues for Light Microscopy

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Sections of aldehyde-fixed and osmium-stained insect tissues embedded in various epoxy resins were affixed to glass slides by use of a slide cover and hotplate combination. A high concentration of solvent vapor over the sections was thus maintained while they dried down on the slides, resulting in excellent flatness and adhesion. Sections were then stained at an elevated temperature with a mixture of equal parts of 3 dye solutions: 1% toluidine blue O, 1% safranin O, and saturated auramine O, all made up in 1% solution of borax in water. The method resulted in excellent differentiation of all insect tissue components including lightly chitinized structures.