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Museum Techniques: Notes

This document discusses techniques for handling specimens in pathology museums. It outlines the basic steps as reception, preparation, fixation, restoration, preservation, and presentation. Key points include recording specimen information upon reception, using Kaiserling's fixation technique with formalin and glycerin solutions to preserve color and structure over long term, and restoring color with rejuvenator solution as needed before final preservation and presentation in glass or plastic jars. The museum serves functions of teaching, exhibiting rare specimens, and providing histologic materials.

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Raja Sharma
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1K views4 pages

Museum Techniques: Notes

This document discusses techniques for handling specimens in pathology museums. It outlines the basic steps as reception, preparation, fixation, restoration, preservation, and presentation. Key points include recording specimen information upon reception, using Kaiserling's fixation technique with formalin and glycerin solutions to preserve color and structure over long term, and restoring color with rejuvenator solution as needed before final preservation and presentation in glass or plastic jars. The museum serves functions of teaching, exhibiting rare specimens, and providing histologic materials.

Uploaded by

Raja Sharma
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Museum Techniques MODULE

Histology and Cytology

20
Notes
MUSEUM TECHNIQUES

20.1 INTRODUCTION
All teaching hospitals and colleges of Pathology have Museums which serve
many functions: permanent exhibition of common specimen for undergraduate
and postgraduate teaching purposes, illustrating specimens of rarity, permanent
source of histologic material and for gross and microscopic photography.

OBJECTIVES
After reading this lesson, you will be able to:
z explain the methods used in handling museum specimens
z describe the techniques of specimen preservation.

20.2 BASIC MUSEUM TECHNIQUES


Any specimens for museum are handled by following steps:
1. Reception
2. Preparation
3. Fixation
4. Restoration
5. Preservation
6. Presentation

Reception of the Specimen


Any specimen received in the museum should be recorded in a Reception book
and given a number followed by year (e.g. 32/2013). This number will stay with
specimen even after it is catalogued in its respective place. This number is

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MODULE Museum Techniques

Histology and Cytology written on tie-on type label in indelible ink and is firmly attached or stitched to
the specimen. The reception book should contain all necessary information
about the specimen (clinical, gross and microscopic findings).

Preparation of the specimen


An ideal specimen is received fresh in unfixed state. However, it is mostly
obtained from pathology laboratory after being examined, thus will already be
Notes formalin fixed. If planning to use a specimen for museum, part of it can be kept
without disturbing for museum, e.g. in kidney it can be bisected and one half
kept aside for museum.

Fixation of the specimen


The objective of fixation is to preserve cells and tissue constituents in as close
a life-like state as possible and to allow them to undergo further preparative
procedures without change. Fixation arrests autolysis and bacterial decomposition
and stabilizes the cellular and tissue constituents. The fixatives used in museums
all over the world are based on formalin fixative technique, and are derived from
Kaiserling technique and his modifications. Kaiserling recommended that the
initial fixation be a neutral formalin (KI) solution and then transferred to a final
preserving glycerin solution (KIII) for long term display. Colour preservation
is also maintained with these solutions.

Kaiserling’s Technique
Fixation of specimen:
The specimen needs to be kept in a large enough container which can
accommodate specimen along with 3-4 times volume of fixative. Specimen is
stored in the Kaiserling I Solution for 1 month depending on the size of the
specimen. The specimen should not rest on bottom or an artificial flat surface
will be produced on hardening due to fixation.

Kaiserling I Solution:
Formalin 1L
Potassium acetate 45 g.
Potassium nitrate 25 g.
Distilled water Make up to 10 litres

Restoration of specimen
It is required to restore the specimens, as they lose their natural color on fixation.
The recommended method is the Kaiserling II method. It involves removing the

128 HISTOLOGY AND CYTOLOGY


Museum Techniques MODULE
specimen, washing it in running water and transferring to 95% alcohol for 10 Histology and Cytology
minutes to 1hour depending on the size of specimen. The specimen is then kept
and observed for color change for around 1- 1.5 hrs. After this step, specimen
is ready for preservation.

Kaiserling II Solution:
Alcohol 95% Notes
*Store specimen in this solution for 10 minutes to 1 hour depending on size of
specimen.
Rejuvenator Solution:
Pyridine 100 ml
Sodium hydrosulphite 100 gm
Distilled water 4 litres
*Formalin decreases the natural colour of the specimen. However, rejuvenator
solution restores the colour.

Preservation of specimen
The recommended solution for this step is Kaiserling III. This is the final solution
in which the specimen will remain for display. It is based on glycerine solution.

Kaiserling III Solution:


Potassium acetate 1416 g.
Glycerine 4 litres
Distilled water Make up to 10 litres
Thymol crystals added to prevent moulds.
*Leave solution to stand for 2 – 3 days before using to ensure proper mixing
of chemicals.
Add 1% pyridine as stabilizer. This solution acts as permanent fixative. This
solution easily turns yellowish and needs to be replaced to restore colour of the
specimen. The specimen will initially float to surface but later sink to bottom.

Presentation of the Specimen


Initially all museum specimens were mounted in cylindrical jars and sealed with
sheep bladder walls. Later they were replaced by rectangular glass jars. They

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MODULE Museum Techniques

Histology and Cytology were better than cylindrical ones as the flat surfaces afforded a clear view of
specimens without any distortion. They are covered by rectangular glass plates.
These jars can be purchased readymade or assembled in museum itself, as per
need. Nowadays, Perspex jars are also available, which are lighter than glass jars.
However, they cannot be used to store specimens fixed in alcohol or methyl
salicylate as they react with plastics.

Notes Mounting the Specimens


To support the specimen within its jar, it is attached to the specimen plate or
rectangular bent glass rods. It can be done by tying the specimen with nylon
threads. Double knots should be made by threads, on the specimen surface.

Fig. 20.1: Museum specimens of cardiovascular system

TERMINAL QUESTIONS
1. Why do we need a museum?
2. What are the steps involved in mounting a specimen?
3. Describe the fixation of specimen.

130 HISTOLOGY AND CYTOLOGY

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