Snail Mantle Tissue as a Matrix for Processing Insect Eggs and Other Small Objects

Abstract

It has been found that by aligning Drosophila eggs in the desired order on the external surface of a piece of excised mantle tissue of the garden snail, Helix aspersa, it is possible easily to handle large numbers of these eggs. The mantle tissue secretes mucus which holds the eggs in position so that they may be carried through stages of fixation, dehydration and imbedding without loss and without any of the technical difficulties usually attendant upon handling small objects. The method need not be restricted to insect eggs but may be extended to other small bits of biological material.