Methods of Fixation of Nervous Tissue for Use in the Study of Cerebral Energy Metabolism

The purpose of this chapter is to describe the various methods that are presently available for the proper fixation of the brain in the investigation of cerebral energy metabolism. The advantages, disadvantages, and procedures of each method will be described in detail for those investigators not having experience in these procedures. There have been a number of in-depth reviews on brain fixation during the last ten years (Siesj�, 1978; Jones and Stavinoha, 1979; Passonneau et al., 1979; Lust et al, 1980; Lenox et al., 1982), and the amount of new information on the subject has been modest. However, another issue peripheral to proper fixation has reemerged in recent years (Rhodes, 1892).