Table 2.

Techniques used in the preparation of serial sections of rat and mouse muscles

Muscle	Fixation	Fixative	Embedding	Stain
rEDB	perfusion	cacodylate-buffered 2% formaldehyde +2.5% glutaraldehyde	epoxy resin	toluidine blue
rFHL	perfusion	phosphate-buffered 2% formaldehyde +2.5% glutaraldehyde	none (cryostat)	Weigert's haematoxylin + Van Giesen
rLUM + ACC	immersion	neutral buffered formalin	wax	Mallory's triple stain
mSOL	immersion	neutral buffered formalin	wax	Mallory's triple stain

mSOL, mouse soleus; rEDB, rat extensor digitorum brevis; rFHL, rat flexor hallucis longus; rLUM + ACC, rat lumbricalis I–IV and accessories.