Microvascular System of the Human Fetal Inner Ear: A Scanning Electron Microscopic Study of Corrosion Casts

The vascular system of the inner ear was investigated in 18-21 weeks old human fetuses, using the corrosion cast technique in scanning electron microscopy. At that developmental stage, vascularization of the cochlea and semicircular canals shows a pattern very similar to that described for adults. The most important differences which can be regarded as fetal features include: (1) denser limbus vessels, (2) the marginal vessels of the spiral lamina appearing as irregular network which shows a less clear arcade-like arrangement, (3) some radiating arterioles of the spiral lamina and marginal vessels possessing connections with the vascular system of the external wall, and (4) a dense, sinusoidal network of draining venules at scala tympani. These features apparently disappear during the final remodelling of the inner ear microvasculature in the last trimester

Two types of vascularisation of intramural uterine leiomyomata revealed by corrosion casting and immunohistochemical study

The blood supply of myomatous uteri collected upon autopsy was examined. The uterine vascular beds were perfused via afferent vessels with fixative followed by Mercox resin and corroded after polymerisation of the resin. The vascular casts thus obtained were examined using scanning electron microscopy. The vascular system of the uterine fibroids was also examined using immunohistochemical analysis (FVIII, factor VIII-related antigen)

Application of a mixture of glycol polyethylenes for the preparation of microcorrosion casts - an observation

Preparation of microcorrosion casts that can be used for observation in SEM is a laborious, time-consuming procedure. The authors paid particular attention to the process of dissection of the microcorrosion casts. This prompted the authors to reconstruct the plastic mass, produced by the firm Gurr (Great Britain) in the 1970s, which was used by them in previous research to immerse the cast in order to minimise the damage. By using easily obtainable polyethylene glycols, characterised by different physical and chemical features, in order to obtain smooth surface of the section, a low-toxic mixture was composed, which protected the microcorrosion casts sufficiently and did not interfere with the physical and chemical properties of the cast

Application of acrylic emulsion Liquitex R (Binney and Smith) for the preparation of injection specimens and immunohistochemical studies - an observation

Application of acrylic emulsion Liquitex R for injection studies of the vascular system of human myomatous uteri was analysed. It was found that this injection mass does not penetrate the capillary bed of human organs, but it is useful in studies carried out on the blood supply of the human organs removed from cadavers. The results were compared with the studies performed with the help of immunohistochemical tests for von Willebrandt's factor