A simple rapid method to slice biological specimens: an application for non-embedded and embedded Golgi-stained tissue

A modified Golgi staining protocol for use in the human brain stem and cerebellum

“…Indeed, the 1906 Nobel prize was awarded to Golgi and Ramón y Cajal for descriptions of the nervous system arising from this process. The whimsical nature of the Golgi method has prompted a number of modifications in the procedure that has included the introduction of microwaves (Marani et al, 1987;Zhang et al, 2003), changing embedding media (Blackstad et al, 1984;Kolodziejczyk et al, 1990), and altering solution composition and pH (Van der Loos, 1956;Morest and Morest, 1966;Stensaas, 1975;Adams, 1979;Grandin et al, 1988;Angulo et al, 1996). Irrespective of the modifications, the general method has proven itself particularly valuable in characterizing the auditory brain stem and the neuronal populations involved in sound processing (Morest, 1964(Morest, , 1965(Morest, , 1969Brawer and Morest, 1975;Cant and Morest, 1979;Smith and Rubel, 1979;Jhaveri and Morest, 1982;Ryugo and Fekete, 1982).…”

The unending fascination with the Golgi method

“…increase in the number of stained neuronal cells. Various treatments or requirement study of impregnation have been carried out in the following ways: vacuum treatment 6 , examination of temperature 43,49,50 , investigation of pH 25,51,52 , application of brain samples coated with egg yolk 53 , changes in the tissue embedding media 54,55 , auto metallographic enhancement 56 , usage of vibratome 57 , use of single sections for staining 58 and so on. Microwave irradiation was considered to be a particularly effective treatment.…”

Optimized Golgi-Cox Staining Validated in the Hippocampus of Spared Nerve Injury Mouse Model

“…Most researchers today rely on a two-step Golgi-Cox staining procedure (Zhong et al, 2019 ); chromation (potassium chromate and potassium dichromate solution) followed by silver nitrate impregnation that subsequently allows the formation of silver chromate crystals, visualized as brownish-black structures (Zhang et al, 2010 ). However, it is unpredictable and time-consuming nature has resulted in several modifications of the protocol involving the composition and pH of the impregnation solution (Bertram and Ihrig, 1957 ; Morest and Morest, 1966 ; Adams, 1979 ; González-Burgos et al, 1992 ), the use of single sections for staining (Landas and Phillips, 1982 ; Gabbott and Somogyi, 1984 ), the use of microwaves (Armstrong and Parker, 1986 ; Berbel, 1986 ), changes in the embedding media (Blackstad et al, 1984 ; Kolodziejczyk et al, 1990 ), the use of a vibratome (Patro et al, 2009 ), coating of brain blocks with egg yolk (Zhang et al, 2010 ), application of vacuum (Friedland et al, 2006 ), auto-metallographic enhancement (Orlowski and Bjarkam, 2009 ), and variation in temperature of the tissue-incubation media (Ranjan and Mallick, 2010 ; Narayanan et al, 2014 ), among others. Most modifications have aimed to decrease the time required for the procedure while maintaining the quality of the staining.…”