Grinding Thin Sections of Plastic-Embedded Bone

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Abstract
The method describes an adaptation of a metallurgical procedure whereby dry, calcified bone may be simultaneously inflitrated and embedded in a transparent plastic, Transoptic, and then ground to the desired thinness for microscopic observation with transmitted light. A 2 mm-thick specimen of bone, ground smooth on one side, is placed ground side up in a 1" mold assembly of a metallurgical specimen mount press. About 5 ml of the plastic medium is added, the temperature raised to 130[degree]C, and the pressure raised to 100 lbs. When 130[degree]C is reached , the heater is disconnected, the pressure immediately raised to 3500 lbs. and maintained at that level until the mold cools to 68[degree]C. The pressure is then released and the 5 mm-thick plastic disc, with the embedded specimen therein, expressed from the mold. Grinding, as well as polishing, is dry; abrasives in fluid media are not used. The disc and specimen are coarse ground on no. 340 grit dry silicon carbide paper until histological details begin to appear. Final fine grinding is done on no. 600 grit dry silicon carbide paper. The disc is then polished and may be mounted on 1 x 3 Plexiglas slide.
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