This review surveys the potential of plastination, a technique of tissue preservation introduced eight years ago. In this process, water and lipids in biological tissues are replaced by curable polymer which are subsequently hardened, resulting in dry, odorless and durable specimens. The procedure consists of the following steps - fixation, dehydration, forced impregnation in a vacuum, and hardening. The properties of the finished specimen are determined by the class of polymer used. Silicone yields flexible, resilient specimens, allows the broadest range of application, and provides satisfactory results with minimum equipment. Specimens plastinated with an epoxy-silicone copolymer are rigid enough to be polished, but are not unbreakable. This resin is used for thick, opaque body slices and showcase specimens. Epoxy resins are used for thin (2.5 mm), transparent body or organ slices. They are cast between polyester foils or glass plates and can be used for histological investigations. Polyester resin is used for the production of opaque brain slices, which gives excellent differentiation between grey and white matter. The application of plastination in research and the production of teaching specimens is discussed with special regard to the equipment required, cost, and feasibility of the processing.

A new method for impregnation of biological specimens with thermosetting resins and elastomers is described. The method has the advantage that the original relief of the surface is retained. The impregnation is carried out by utilizing the difference between the high vapor tension of the intermedium (e.g., methylene chloride) and the low vapor tension of the solution to be polymerized. After impregnation, the specimen is subject to polymerization conditions without surrounding embedding material. The optical and mechanical properties can be selected by proper choice from various kinds of resins and different procedures, for example, by complete or incomplete impregnation. Acrylic resins, polyester resins, epoxy resins, polyurethanes and silicone rubber have been found suitable for the method. Excellent results have been obtained using transparent silicone rubber since after treatment the specimens are still flexible and resilient, and have retained their natural appearance.

Plastinated hearts are natural specimens, preserved in a firm or flexible state, which thus can be grasped in the hand. They are fixed in a dilated state. Their tissue water and lipids are replaced by polymerized synthetic resins or elastomers. The final specimens show doubly injected coronary vessels, opened atria and ventricles, thus exhibiting all finer external and internal details. The procedure described consists of the removal of the heart; intermediate storage facilities; dilatation with water under hydrostatic pressure; color injection of the coronary vessels; fixation; dehydration in acetone under hydrostatic pressure; forced impregnation in a vacuum chamber; and hardening with aftercare. Technical variations and pitfalls are discussed, as well as the required equipment.

Plastination is a late 20th century preservation methodology which replaces tissue fluid within a specimen with a curable polymer, such as silicone. Plastination yields superb, beautiful, well‐preserved specimens each with their own unique qualities. Silicone polymer is used around the world to preserve macroscopic cadavers or portions/organs thereof. Plastination was conceived by Dr. Gunther von Hagens, Universität Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany prior to 1977. Silicone polymer was the primary polymer which emerged initially for plastination. The Biodur® line of silicone polymer and additives was chosen and manufactured because it has consistently produced the best plastinates since the inception of plastination. Since the discovery of silicone, generic and similar silicone polymers are known and used around the World by many industries and used in numerous products. The plastination process has four steps: Specimen preparation, Specimen dehydration and degreasing, Vacuum‐forced impregnation of specimens and Specimen hardening.

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