I thought that I had read somewhere that MMA cannot by used for TEM/SEM, but I cannot remember where.
I have already found a publication stating that it can be used, but not much information about that is to be found.
Another questions in the same line: Epon embedding is most often used for TEM/SEM, can this resin be used for undecalcified bone embedding? Does anyone have any experience with this?
thanks
Max
I've done a lot of work with undecalcified bone.
For TEM I used only epon with good results. Do not forget to use grids with a film on them (I used carbon-coated grids). Without support film calcified bone may disintegrate when it is placed on a grid.
For SEM used both MMA and epon with similar results. Etching showed that epon embedding provided better resin infiltration (but it does not matter for SEM).
As far as I remember epon dust is somewhat toxic and so it is not recommended to polish epon-embedded specimens.
The question is Can MMA embedded undecalcified bone be used for TEM and SEM?
For SEM, one can try it and it is possible to get some images from SEM, probably not the best. However, for TEM, it is not recommended and hence you need not try as it will not give the desired results. That is it. undecalcified bone if used, such calcified tissues certainly interfere with sectioning and electron image formation in a TEM. Books on standard histological/ histopathological methods shall provide you how and why decalcification is a precondition for embedding and sectioning of such hard tissues and these are also applicable to electron microscopy imaging of hard tissues. Epon plastic resin embedding is the most ideal for TEM rather than SEM though one can try to use them if you want to have some experience. Good luck.
You can use both in principle.
However, if your EM facility requires Epon embedding follow them as all their protocols are adapted to this embedding medium. If you cannot change your samples make a test run with MMA embedded bone sample.
You can embed, section and stain bone with exzellent quality in both MMA or Epon.
We used both with very good results.
PMID:24947449 & 24465906
We are routinely embedding undecalcified bone in epoxy resin EmBed812 (EMS) for pathological diagnosis. If the bone part is large in the sample it is helpful to collect the ultrathin sections on formvar coated grids (brittle material).