Glycol methacrylate embedding in enzyme histochemistry: application to arthropode tissue incubated for demonstration of unspecific esterase and succinic dehydrogenase activity.

Abstract

The final products of unspecific esterase and succinic dehydrogenase were demonstrated in 1–2 μm sections of tick salivary glands embedded in glycol methacrylate (GMA). In the esterase experiments, the tissue specimens were incubated after fixation in glutaraldehyde or acrolein, and then embedded in GMA. For demonstration of succinic dehydrogenase activity, the specimens were incubated prior to glutaraldehyde fixation followed by embedding in GMA. In sections of all preparations intense enzymatic reaction was observed. High resolution light microscopy could efficiently be used for precise locating of the enzymic products, due to excellent morphologic reference in semithin GMA sections.