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Principles and Fundamentals of Microvascular Corrosion Casting for SEM Studies

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Microvascular Corrosion Casting in Scanning Electron Microscopy

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Abstract

Microvascular corrosion casts should ideally enable a thorough study to be made of the whole vascular bed of any tissue or organ by the scanning electron microscope. To get the whole blood vascular system cast the necessary casting media have to fulfil a series of criteria. According to several authors [1–9] the ideal casting media should meet the following criteria (slightly modified)

  1. 1)

    Be nontoxic for the investigator and for the system to be cast.

  2. 2)

    Be of sufficient low viscosity and particle size to pass through smallest blood vessels (5 µm).

  3. 3)

    Be physiologically inert in the system to be cast.

  4. 4)

    Polymerize within an adjustable period of time (3–15 minutes).

  5. 5)

    Not shrinkage during polymerization.

  6. 6)

    Enable microdissection leaving surrounding tissue intact.

  7. 7)

    Resist corrosion (maceration) without dramatic damage to cast surface structures.

  8. 8)

    Be visible in the dissecting microscope after corrosion (maceration).

  9. 9)

    Not change spatial configuration during drying processes.

  10. 10)

    Be electron conductive.

  11. 11)

    Resist the electron bombardment during SEM inspection.

  12. 12)

    Replicate all topographical details of cast endothelial luminal surfaces.

  13. 13)

    Indicate the direction of blood flow in the system cast.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. First Department of Anatomy, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria

    S. H. Aharinejad M.D., Ph. D.

  2. Department of Experimental Zoology, University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria

    A. Lametschwandtner Ph. D.

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  1. S. H. Aharinejad M.D., Ph. D.
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  2. A. Lametschwandtner Ph. D.
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© 1992 Springer-Verlag/Wien

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Aharinejad, S.H., Lametschwandtner, A. (1992). Principles and Fundamentals of Microvascular Corrosion Casting for SEM Studies. In: Microvascular Corrosion Casting in Scanning Electron Microscopy. Springer, Vienna. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-7091-9230-6_2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-7091-9230-6_2

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Vienna

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-7091-9232-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-7091-9230-6

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