Human plastination is a professional and highly-specific process of body preservation. By utilizing a number of substances and the anatomical expertise of anatomists, it is possible to preserve the various tissues of the human body in a way they exist within a living person. Plastination is a field that takes its roots from other anatomical methods of body preservation and is, therefore, actively developed in hopes of improving anatomy studies.
Starting from bodies encased in plastic cubes, science gradually gained traction and popularity in the medical community. In the modern day, it has become possible to preserve and display a wide variety of human remains, including their veins, arteries, muscles, bones, nerves, and other parts. While controversy existed in the past regarding the moral implications of using human bodies, nowadays, the practice is largely accepted by society.
Furthermore, many exhibits display their collections of plastinated bodies, helping to enhance the public acceptance of the practice, and improve the widespread understanding of anatomy. While exhibitions of other plastinated animals exist as well, humans are by representing the most diverse range of subjects, partially due to the high number of volunteers for post-mortem plastination. A clear, visually striking, and varied way to display human anatomy helps to incite curiosity in regular people while also providing future anatomists with a clear point of reference for human body composition.
The below example is one of the newest plastinates in the Berlin Body Worlds exhibition, noted for the complex presentation of connective tissue throughout the whole body. Specialists in the field use a combination of artistic sensibilities and medical knowledge to present human bodies in a unique manner. Exhibitions such as this one exist as a way to turn body preservation into both an art and a medical practice – useful for enthusiasts and amateurs alike.