[Histonet] Embedding W/WO Melted Paraffin

[Favara, Cynthia (NIH/NIAID)]

Dannie,

I put my blocks in a warm reservoir with no melted paraffin. I process
animal tissue mostly rodent and this to me is gentler on the brain tissue
and I have found no difference in the cutting or staining but have not done
a blinded controlled study. I work on neonatal mouse eyes at this time and
wrap them in lens paper or but in histo gel to facilitate the orientation
and ensure the specimen does not get lost!

My opinion only!

c

Cynthia Favara
NIAID/NIH/RML/LPVD
903 South 4th Street
Hamilton, MT 59840
406-363-9317


-----Original Message-----
From: DMBCMP <@t> aol.com [mailto:DMBCMP <@t> aol.com]
Sent: Tuesday, January 20, 2004 8:37 PM
To: histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
Subject: [Histonet] Embedding W/WO Melted Paraffin


Hi, everyone:
In order to settle a difference of opinion between generations of trained 
Histotechs in my lab, may I have feedback from anyone interested in
responding?
Do you cover the blocks in melted paraffin in the embedding centre reservior

and hold them that way while embedding? or....
Do you dump them in the warm reservior "dry" (not covered in melted
paraffin) 
and embed them that way?
Do you consider this "dry" method as bad technique since a tiny biopsy 
specimen MAY not be noticed as the paraffin quickly solidifies?
We have a dispute.  I have researched every book I can find and there is no 
reference to it anywhere.  A newly trained tech that came to work for us
said 
no mention was made during her training period.  Some techs did...and some 
didn't. As a tech of nearly 27 years, I find this practice to be just asking
for 
trouble.  I was trained to keep everything melted.  There seems to be some 
argument against keeping the cassettes in the melted paraffin, claiming it
"cooks" 
the biopsies.  I don't buy it, but what are the opinions of others?
It seems so basic to me.  I hope this does not come across as frivilous.  
Thanks for your input.

Dannie Blake HT(ASCP)  Histology Lead Tech
Fresno Community Medical Centre
Fresno, California

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