The quality of bone marrow preparation and sections of teeth depends on the preparation method. We investigated the posterior mandibles of male rats that were processed using a modified Bouin's solution (MBS) and stained with Harris' hematoxylin and eosin, and the results were compared to a routine decalcification process using 5% formal nitric acid. We found that MBS was applicable to both soft and hard components in bone tissues and sections of teeth. MBS provided good decalcification, which facilitated sectioning. The bone marrow specimens treated with MBS exhibited clearly distinguishable hematopoietic cells, clear tissue integrity and good cell preservation. Treatment with 5% formal nitric acid for 5 days caused degeneration, poor differentiation and poorer staining of hematopoietic components, and deteriorated soft and solid tissues in bone and sections of teeth compared to MBS treatment. MBS preserved cell and tissue integrity and good staining quality. MBS can be used for rapid preparation and diagnosis for pathology and toxicity studies.
Keywords: Bouin’s solution; bone marrow; decalcification; dental structure; hematopoietic tissue; mandible; rat; section quality; teeth.