[Histonet] Artifact in Muscle bx's frozen for extended time

[Tony Henwood]

Sharon,

Your answer is probably in the following article in the Journal of Histotechnology (Volume 32, number 2, June 2009):

"Nonfrozen Transport Medium Preserves and Restores Skeletal Muscle Enzymatic Activity and Morphology"
Authors: Iren Horkayne-Szakaly, Glenn D. Sandberg, Joren Keylock, Elisabeth J. Rushing

Regards

Tony Henwood JP, MSc, BAppSc, GradDipSysAnalys, CT(ASC)
Laboratory Manager & Senior Scientist
Tel: 612 9845 3306
Fax: 612 9845 3318
the children's hospital at westmead 
Cnr Hawkesbury Road and Hainsworth Street, Westmead 
Locked Bag 4001, Westmead NSW 2145, AUSTRALIA 




-----Original Message-----
From: histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu [mailto:histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu] On Behalf Of Sharon Allen
Sent: Thursday, 30 July 2009 12:27 AM
To: histonet <@t> pathology.swmed.edu
Subject: [Histonet] Artifact in Muscle bx's frozen for extended time


Hi, 
I would like suggestions on how to eliminate or decrease the effects of extended storage of muscle bx's in a -70°C freezer.  We do approx. 150 muscle bx's /year in our Neuropathology Lab and we keep all frozen muscle bx's indefinitely, (we have them all from the 80's on). We are asked fairly regularly to go back to these cases for diagnostic & research purposes & find many of them are compromised, readable but not optimum,  I am assuming from drying out from months/years of freezing. We freeze them using the isopentane/liquid nitrogen method on a pc of cork with OCT anchoring them.  We store them in a small plastic tube with a screw top. I would like to know if anyone has further methods to eliminate this artefact.
Possibly sealing with OCT?  Placing water in the bottom of the tube?   Wrapping the muscle bx in Parafilm, tin foil etc?
What containers do you use to store them in if you do not get this artefact? Suggestions for long term storage would be very much appreciated. Thanks Sharon Allen Senior Neuropathology Technologist HSC WPG, MB, CA This email and/or any documents in this transmission is intended for the
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