| CPC A61L 27/16 (2013.01) [A61L 27/56 (2013.01); C08F 220/56 (2013.01); C08L 33/26 (2013.01); G01N 1/312 (2013.01)] | 28 Claims |

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1. A method for preparing an expandable tissue sample, the method comprising the steps of:
(a) incubating a tissue sample with a composition comprising:
precursors of a polymer, the precursors comprising linear monomers at a concentration of about 20 to about 50 wt %, wherein the linear monomers comprise acrylamide, dimethylacrylamide, and sodium acrylate, and wherein the sodium acrylate is about 10 to about 25 mol % of the linear monomers,
about 0.1 to about 1.0 mol % polymerization initiator,
about 0.005 to about 0.02 wt % polymerization inhibitor, and
about 0.001 to about 0.01 wt % polymerization accelerator,
wherein the composition does not include a separate crosslinker from the dimethylacrylamide; and
(b) polymerizing the composition within the tissue sample to form a polymer, wherein the polymer is embedded throughout the tissue sample.
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