[Histonet] Drying ovens, eosin fading, microtome PM, eyeballs

[Jeffrey Silverman]

Our routine sections,  picked up on regular slides with no adhesive in the water bath,  dry at 65C for 15 minutes in the oven on our Leica stainer XL, we never lose sections. Sections for IHC and specials go on Plus slides and dry in an oven also at 65C for at least 1 hour.  Then they get the same  Leica XL oven drying cycle before deceration. 
 
Fading eosin usually means incomplete dehydration, trace water in the xylene etc. 
 
Belair does all our PM's, microtomes, cryostats, they've kept our 30 year old VIP running despite the fact that Sakura no longer supports the oldest models (like ours). 
 
Eyeballs should not be opened until they have been fixed for at least two days intact in 10% buffered formalin. Then, using a brand new  blade, slice off the two callottes, proceeding from cornea posteriorly to the optic nerve,  from a central section which includes the optic nerve and the pupil. Some retinal separation is inevitable, this technique will minimize it. 
 
Jeffrey Silverman, HT HTL QIHC
Pathologists' Assistant
Southside Hospital NSLIJHS
Bay Shore, New York USA