Abstract
IN the course of some investigations on the minute cuticular hairs of certain insects1, a replica technique was devised which, by virtue of its simplicity, may be of general interest. The medium of which these replicas were formed was a strong solution of glycerine in gelatin, obtained by steeping powdered gelatin in glycerine for some hours at 50–60° C. until homogeneous. The strength found to be most effective was about 50 per cent w/w; but the exact amounts to be employed are probably best determined by trial, since the nature of the sample of gelatin used probably has an effect. A very small quantity of water added to the mixture was found to hasten and improve the homogenizing process; but too much water should be avoided as it appears to reduce the quality of the replicas by rendering them too soft and plastic. The solution should normally be of such strength as to gelate at about 40–50° C., and set instantaneously below 30° C.; when in use it is conveniently kept liquid by means of a hot-water bath.
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Thorpe, W. H., and Crisp, D. J., J. Exp. Biol. (in the press).
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CRISP, D., THORPE, W. A Simple Replica Technique Suitable for the Study of Surface Structures. Nature 165, 273 (1950). https://doi.org/10.1038/165273a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/165273a0
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