Osmium Impregnation of Methyl Methacrylate Vascular Casts for Scanning Electron Microscopy

Abstract

Methyl methacrylate vascular casts treated with vaporized osmium tetroxide and hydrazine hydrate could, without any coating, be viewed directly in the scanning electron microscope. Charging effect was inconspicuous at an accelerating voltage of 25kV as well as 5kV and the scanning images obtained were adequately contrasted for observation. A scanning image of the vascular cast of the monkey renal glomerulus was shown as an example and the details of the method was described with some comments on an improved methyl methacrylate technique for casting of fine vessels.