[Histonet] glycol methacrylate and sectioning

[Gayle Callis]

Having done glycol methacrylate, I agree with Geoff's comments.  I have a
feeling 30 um sections of GMA embedded tissues would shatter coming off the
knife, and you would probably need an expensive tungsten carbide knife to
even attempt this and a really powerful sliding microtome. We always
reserved GMA methods for 3 um or less thickness, thicker we went back to
paraffin, OR with bone, ground and polished sections in methylmethacrylate,
but this would NOT be suitable for brain work, rather mineralized bone
sections. 

Good luck. 

Gayle Callis
MT,HT,HTL(ASCP)
Research Histopathology Supervisor
Veterinary Molecular Biology 
Montana State University - Bozeman
PO Box 173610
Bozeman MT 59717-3610
406 994-6367 (lab with voice mail)
406 994-4303 (FAX)



At 10:16 AM 1/16/2004 -0500, you wrote:
>Hi David:
>
>    If you want 30 micron sections of brain why not frozen sections? or 
>celloidin sections? I have never heard of cutting glycol methacrylate 
>that thick, I always thought the purpose of plastic sections was thin 
>sections.  Perhaps the "plastic" people on this list can provide advice.
>
>Geoff
>
>David Laidley wrote:
>
>>This may be a stupid question but can a sliding microtome cut brain
tissue at 30 um when embedded in glycol methacrylate. I know that there
exists rotory microtomes that cut glycol methacrylate but I can't seem to
find any information about sliding microtomes.
>> 
>>If you can cut 30 um sections of brain tissue in glycol methacrylate then
does anyone have any tips on how this might be done (well). Or at least any
tips or tricks you may have picked up over the years that may make the
process go more smoothly.
>> 
>>David Laidley (MSc student)
>>Memorial University of Newfoundland
>>Division of Basic Medical Sciences, Neuroscience
>>dave_laidley <@t> yahoo.ca
>>
>>
>>
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>
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>Geoff McAuliffe, Ph.D.
>Neuroscience and Cell Biology
>Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
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Gayle Callis
MT,HT,HTL(ASCP)
Research Histopathology Supervisor
Veterinary Molecular Biology 
Montana State University - Bozeman
PO Box 173610
Bozeman MT 59717-3610
406 994-6367 (lab with voice mail)
406 994-4303 (FAX)