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Gelatin‐embedded cell–polymer constructs for histological cryosectioning
Author(s) -
Brown David A.,
Chou Yu Fen,
Beygui Ramin E.,
Dunn James C.Y.,
Wu Benjamin M.
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
journal of biomedical materials research part b: applied biomaterials
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.665
H-Index - 108
eISSN - 1552-4981
pISSN - 1552-4973
DOI - 10.1002/jbm.b.30116
Subject(s) - gelatin , polymer , biomedical engineering , materials science , tissue engineering , composite material , chemistry , medicine , biochemistry
Many tissue‐engineering strategies involve the delivery of cells via porous polymer scaffolds. Obtaining histological sections of the emerging tissue is often necessary to analyze numerous characteristics of the microscopic environment. However, difficulties arise upon applying standard histological techniques to cell‐seeded polymer scaffolds. This report describes a simple and reliable method for cryosectioning cell–polymer constructs embedded in gelatin. Solvent‐soluble (PLGA) and insoluble (PGA) scaffolds were cultured in vitro with preosteoblasts, followed by histological processing with paraffin, OCT, or gelatin. Although paraffin‐embedded PGA scaffolds withstood standard sectioning and rinsing steps, paraffin‐embedded PLGA scaffolds were partially dissolved during the clearing step. OCT‐embedded scaffolds produced sections that did not adhere well to slides, and most of the sample was lost during rinsing steps. In contrast, gelatin‐embedded scaffolds exhibited adequate structural integrity during cryosectioning, adhered well to the slides, retained the actual polymer morphology, and exhibited compatibility with common stains. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater 72B: 79–85, 2005