[Histonet] Coverslipping?

[lpwenk <@t> sbcglobal.net]

STAINS:
Well, for H&E, if allowed to dry out first before coverslipping, there
appear these little blackish refractile particles on the tissue, randomly
placed.

For other special stains, I've seen the tissue shrink and buckle/warp, when
allowed to dry out first. Not all of them, just some, but I can't remember
which ones, as I don't usually allow this to happen.

DECONTAMINATE CRYOSTAT:
A quick way, after each use (which is what we do with the FS of muscles from
enzyme histochemistry or kidneys for immunofluorescence)  or at the end of
the day (which is what we do in the FS rooms, since it is our pathologists
and residents who cut FS from surgery) -

Clean out as much of the FS debris with a gauze, and throw in the biohazard
bin. Pour some 95-100% reagent alcohol on another gauze, and wipe down the
inside of the cryostat and blade (careful!). Throw the gauze in the
biohazard bin (in all likelihood would be OK in regular trash, but we like
people being in the habit of using the biohazard bin). The alcohol will
decontaminate everything except spores, will evaporate rather quickly, will
not get too much water into the cryostat so moving parts won't "freeze up",
and won't corrode the inside the of cryostat.

This is from a Journal of Histotechology article, many 15 years ago. Don't
have the information on hand at home.

Still have to occasionally do a complete defrost.

Again, write it up as a procedure, and have it signed by pathologist.

Peggy A. Wenk, HTL(ASCP)SLS
William Beaumont Hospital
Royal Oak, MI 48073

----- Original Message -----
From: <Krat18 <@t> aol.com>
To: <michael_keysock <@t> merck.com>; <eca9 <@t> georgetown.edu>;
<histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu>
Sent: Saturday, August 28, 2004 12:24 PM
Subject: Re: [Histonet] Coverslipping?


>         I've heard for many years that slides shouldn't be allowed to dry
> out, but we have one tech that always lets hers dry before coverslipping,
and
> I've never heard any complaints from the docs about her stains.   So what
is the
> problem with letting the slides air dry?
>
>        One other question for everyone:  what's the best (and possibly
> quickest) way to decontaminate a cryostat?
>
> Karen_Raterman <@t> ssmhc.com
> St. Mary's Health Center
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