Involves:
- removal animal is killed brain is removed
- fixation tissue is stabilized with some chemical
- dehydration water is removed using some solvent
- embedding tissue is hardened with some medium (paraffin)
- microtomy cut into thin sheet with microtome
- staining chemicals that attach to specific structures which change opacity (making it easier to see things)
Various Stains
Nissl Stain highlights cell bodies (white and grey matter)
- Methylene Blue
- Cresyl Violet Myelin Stain highlights axon bundles
- Luxol Fast Blue
- Osmium Tetroxide Golgi Stain highlights all parts of a cell
- silver-based compounds