A new procedure of embedding in methyl methacrylate (MMA) is introduced, which enables immunostaining by preservation of cellular epitopes. This could be achieved by reduction of polymerisation temperature from ca. 60 degrees C to 22 degrees C within the core of tissue blocks. Reduction of the polymerisation temperature is due to destabilisation of acrylate monomer, reduction of catalyst, exclusion of molecular oxygen, chemical initiation and reduction of environmental temperature. This results in good preservation of antigens and enzymes in the haematopoietic and lymphatic tissue of bone marrow as well as lymphoid, epithelial and mesenchymal markers in other tissues, comparable to paraffin embedding. Results are demonstrated by application of monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies and by demonstration of enzyme activity conventionally used in haematology.

Gelatin-dialdehyde glue is able to produce the same effects in the area of the aortic wall as the substantially more toxic gelatin-resorcinol-formaldehyde glue and thus could be recommended for clinical trials for treating acute aortic dissections thus far yielding excellent initial results.

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