A technique for the combination of clearing, staining, and injecting small mammals.

Abstract

A combined method for clearing soft tissues, staining cartilage and bone, and injecting the vascular system of small mammals was developed using Mus musculus (house mouse). Mammalian muscle tissue remains milky or even opaque after "clearing" by previous techniques due to the relatively high content of intramuscular fat. A method employing chloroform-ethanol successfully renders soft tissues of mammalian specimens translucent without damaging or bleeding color from the latex injected in the circulatory system. Resulting specimens yield an excellent view of the skeletal system and the injected vascular system without obstruction by opaque tissues or disruption by physical removal of connective tissue.