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Keywords

Humectant, anatomy, cadaver, preservation

Abstract

3rd Place Poster Design

Humectants are an important class of compounds that attract and retain water within a cell. When mixed with water to create wetting solutions, humectants can prevent desiccation of cadaveric specimens1. Recognizing a relative scarcity of comparative studies analyzing the effects of various wetting solutions on post-preservation cadaveric maintenance, we utilized wet-dry analysis in order to compare the effects of four common humectants on water retention in human cadaveric tissue including brain, cardiac muscle, liver, lung, skeletal muscle, and skin. We created a concentration gradient for each humectant to identify the optimal concentrations of each compound for water retention, after which we compared water retention in tissue at the optimal concentrations of each humectant under standardized conditions. Through this simple assay, we show that all types of cadaveric tissues submerged in concentrations of 13-15% glycerol retained the most moisture.

Document Type

Poster

Publication Date

2024-03-21

Language

English

College

Life Sciences

Department

Cell Biology and Physiology

University Standing at Time of Publication

Senior

Staying Hydrated: A Comparative Analysis of Humectants in Human Tissue

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