Porcine liver vascular bed in Biodur E20 corrosion casts

Background: Pigs are frequently used as animal models in experimental medicine. To identify processes of vascular development or regression, vascular elements must be recognised and quantified in a three-dimensional (3D) arrangement. Vascular corrosion casts enable the creation of 3D replicas of vascular trees. The aim of our study was to identify suitable casting media and optimise the protocol for porcine liver vascular corrosion casting. Materials and methods: Mercox II® (Ladd Research, Williston, Vermont, USA) and Biodur E20® Plus (Biodur Products, Heidelberg, Germany) were tested in 4 porcine livers. The resins (volume approximately 700 mL) were injected via the portal vein. Corrosion casts were examined by macro-computed tomography, micro-computed tomography and scanning electron microscopy. Results: For hepatectomies, the operating protocol was optimised to avoid gas or blood clot embolisation. We present a protocol for porcine liver vascular bed casting based on corrosion specimens prepared using Biodur E20® epoxy resin. Conclusions: Only Biodur E20®Plus appeared to be suitable for high-volume vascular corrosion casting due to its optimal permeability, sufficient processing time and minimum fragility. Biodur E20® Plus is slightly elastic, radio-opaque and alcohol-resistant. These properties make this acrylic resin suitable for not only vascular research but also teaching purposes.

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Cortex and medula were both damaged after drop shatter test, even in those areas of kidneys, that were free of macroscopic cracks on the surface. The ruptures propagated preferentially through the interstitial connective tissue. The most affected vessels were the arcuate veins followed by the arcuate arterie

Data for: Distribution of connective tissue in the male and female porcine liver: Histological mapping and recommendations for sampling of tissue probes

Supplement 1. Primary stereological data on volume fraction of connective tissue and cross-sectional area of classical lobules in all investigated samples. The following abbreviations are used: VV(ICT) – volume fraction of interlobular connective tissue (connective tissue surrounding liver lobule), VV(PSCT) – volume fraction of perisinusoidal connective tissue (connective tissue located at the lobular sinusoids), VV(PCCT) – volume fraction of pericentral connective tissue (connective tissue surrounding central vein), VV(CT) – volume fraction of total connective tissue (sum of all connective tissue volume fractions). Supplement 2. Calculating sample sizes needed to detect a certain expected relative increase in the connective tissue fraction in various hepatic lobes. VV(CT) – volume fraction of connective tissue (total connective tissue irrespective of its localization), n – number of tissue blocks in each of the groups that are to be compared. Sample sizes were calculated according to Chow et al. (power=0.8; significance level=0.05) (2008). The data are presented for both sexes. Supplement 3. Calculating sample size needed to detect a certain expected relative increase in the connective tissue fraction in various regions of interests (ROIs) within hepatic lobes. Peripheral ROI – region at the periphery of a liver lobe, paraportal ROI – region of a lobe near the porta hepatis, paracaval ROI – region of a lobe adjacent to the caudal vena cava, VV(CT) – volume fraction of connective tissue (total connective tissue irrespective of its localization), n – number of tissue blocks in each of the compared groups. Sample size were calculated according to Chow et al. (power=0.8; significance level=0.05) (2008). The data are presented for both sexes and each ROI within each hepatic lobe

Data for: Numerical and length densities of microvessels in the human brain: Basic mapping of differences between the cerebral cortex, subcortical grey matter and white matter, pons and cerebellum

Supplement 2. Volumes of fresh tissue samples, formalin-fixed blocks, and exhaustively cut paraffin-embedded serial sections. Analysis of the shrinkage of 30 tissue blocks is provided. The X-, Y-, and Z- dimensions of each block were measured immediately after dissection (fresh samples) and after formalin fixation using a digital caliper. The dimensions of the exhaustively cut block were measured using a calibrated microscope eyepiece (X- and Y-dimensions) and by multiplying the thickness of the histological sections by the number of sections per block (Z-dimension). Orientation of the X-, Y-, and Z- axes (i.e., length, width, and height) of each block was preserved carefully during all processing

Data for: Numerical and length densities of microvessels in the human brain: Basic mapping of differences between the cerebral cortex, subcortical grey matter and white matter, pons and cerebellum

Supplement 1. Localization, labelling, and quantitative data on numerical density and length density of brain microvessels in all samples under study

Data for: Numerical and length densities of microvessels in the human brain: Basic mapping of differences between the cerebral cortex, subcortical grey matter and white matter, pons and cerebellum

Supplement 1. Localization, labelling, and quantitative data on numerical density and length density of brain microvessels in all samples under study

Data for: Numerical and length densities of microvessels in the human brain: Basic mapping of differences between the cerebral cortex, subcortical grey matter and white matter, pons and cerebellum

Supplement 2. Volumes of fresh tissue samples, formalin-fixed blocks, and exhaustively cut paraffin-embedded serial sections. Analysis of the shrinkage of 30 tissue blocks is provided. The X-, Y-, and Z- dimensions of each block were measured immediately after dissection (fresh samples) and after formalin fixation using a digital caliper. The dimensions of the exhaustively cut block were measured using a calibrated microscope eyepiece (X- and Y-dimensions) and by multiplying the thickness of the histological sections by the number of sections per block (Z-dimension). Orientation of the X-, Y-, and Z- axes (i.e., length, width, and height) of each block was preserved carefully during all processing