LESSON 3: DECALCIFICATION Flashcards
process that entails the removal of calcium or lime salts from tissue samples after fixation
DECALCIFICATION
this process is also known as demineralization
DECALCIFICATION
Microcalcified samples, REMEDY IF DETECTED DURING SECTIONING?
10% HCl for 1 hour
➢ Dense/Hard Bone: 2-5 mm thick
➢ Softer Tissue: ________
4-6MM
Duration
➢ Ideal: 24-48 hours
➢ Dense Cortical Bone: __________
14 days
Temperature and Heat
✓ Required temperature: _____________
18-30C
Volume
❖ Optimum: _____________?
20 times the volume of the tissue
most common and fastest
NITRIC ACID
silver impregnation of nerve fibers
De Castro’s Fluid:
nitric acid, 40% formaldehyde
Formol-Nitric Acid:
nitric acid, 0.5% chromic acid, absolute alcohol
Perenyi’s Fluid:
✓ most rapid decalcifying agent
✓ recommended for urgent work
Phloroglucin-Nitric Acid:
✓ fixative and decalcifying agent
✓ for small and large pieces of bones, and teeth
✓ gentler on tissues
✓ post-mortem research tissues
✓ concentrated reagent: 90%
FORMIC ACID
✓ slower action, with greater distortion
✓ provides good nuclear staining
✓ surface decalcification: 1% HCl with 70% alcohol
✓ cannot be measured by chemical testing
HYDROCHLORIC ACID
✓ for minute samples
✓ provides good nuclear staining
✓ does not require washing-out
✓ very slow and weak decalcifying acid
Trichloroacetic Acid (TCA)
