Polystyrene Embedding: A New Method for Light and Electron Microscopy

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Abstract
Polystyrene embedments of histological speciments can be obtained with a solution of 1 : 4 polystyrene-toluene, 5% benzyl alcohol and 1% dibutyl phthalate, allowing the solvent to evaporate in polyethylene containers for 2-3 days at 58.degree. C. The resulting blocks are easily cut into truncated pyramids, each containing a piece of tissue, which are then glued to a Plexiglas support. Drying is completed at 80.degree. C for 20 h. The pyramids can then be sectioned to produce thick sections with a steel kniftpe knife or to produce semi- or ultrathin sections with a glass knife. A 10% paraldehyde solution is used to mount the light microscopy sections on a slide heated on a hot plate to 80.degree. C; these can be treated with the same techniques used with paraffin sections. The results are of high quality. Semithin sections of tissues fixed for EM can be stained directly after mounting, or by a wider range of strains once the polystyrene has been removed by organic solvents. In EM, the ultrathin sections obtained with the usual techniques are highly electron beam-resistant and give acceptable results.

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