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Glycolmethacrylate Embedding (GMA)

Credit: Robert A. Lisak
Blocks of MMA and GMA are cut using special tungsten-carbide D-profile knives to a thickness of four or five microns.

Ideal for thin sections of soft tissues as well as soft tissues with harder implant biomaterial (PLA, PGA). This method preserves enzyme activity in tissues however, it is not suitable for mineralized tissues.

Preparation Instructions

Place fresh tissue into either 10% neutral buffered formalin at room temperature or 2-4% paraformaldehyde at a ratio of 20X volume of fixative to tissue sample. Soft tissue should be sliced to the thickness of a nickel (coin) prior to immersion in fixative for optimal penetration of fixative. Fixation in formalin or paraformaldehyde should not be longer than 24 hours at room temperature to prevent overfixation and hardening of tissue sample. After fixation, tissue may be washed 2-3 hours in running tap water and held in 70% ethanol at 4°C until processed.


Please Note

We strongly recommend that you contact the lab before you start your experiment to consult on the most appropriate preparation to maximize success of your work. Absolutely no tissues previously frozen will be accepted for MMA, GMA or Paraffin processing!