Application of Pigments to Squirrel Legs at Various Stages of the Plastination Process

Department of Biology, Union University, Jackson, TN 38305 USA. ABSTRACT: Plastinated tissues have gained popularity due to their structural integrity and the ease in handling and storing. Specimens can lose natural (or added) color throughout the plastination process, and so one objective of coloration is to restore natural color. A second objective of this study was to measure color change, both objectively and by subjective visualization of coloration. Coloration was investigated using 3 pigments added at 4 defined points during the 5-stage plastination process, using squirrel leg muscle samples. Each of the 12 experimental groups, and an untreated sample, were analyzed by measuring the Euclidean distance and CIE2000 E values. Statistical analysis indicated that none of the coloration treatments restored natural coloration. However, the coloration did show subjective improvement in the contrast among tissues. The results showed that pigment addition prior to acetone dehydration, or prior to silicone impregnation, resulted in the best coloration, and that the use of Rit dye was most effective. Use of this approach was subsequently validated using human arm tissue, which consists of more tissue variety than squirrel legs.