Electron microscopy of undecalcified human bone.

An alternative approach for the electron microscopical examination of undecalcified human bone was investigated. The method required bone to be chilled to -70 degrees C, sectioned at 10 microns in a special bone cryostat, and these sections to be fixed and embedded for ultrathin sectioning. Good preservation of bone cells was seen. The advantages of this method are that it allows numerous particular regions of the 10 microns thick sections to be selected under normal light microscopy, and these regions to be then selected for electron microscopy. The 10 microns sections allow for excellent penetration of the fixative and thus better preservation of the tissue is more likely.