[Histonet] adhesive tape & MMA Sections - Turpentine?

[Gayle Callis]

We have used the Scotch 3M packaging tape #3560 for picking up paraffin 
sections from the block.  Going to a gelatin subbed slide, and rolled it on 
to get rid of water from water bath, clamped the slides together with 
plastic between slide,  overnight at 37 then overnight at 60C.  To remove 
this tape, one simply puts it through 3 xylene stations to remove tape 
easily and any residual glue.  This method was published by Diane Sterchi 
in J of Histotechnology.   There are different tapes available, simply 
trying various brands will tell you is the tape will come off in xylene and 
leave section on the slide.  This has worked with human femoral bone 
sections and also with difficult eyes that want to come apart on a 
waterbath.  Somewhat fun to do - you have little sections hanging around on 
edges until you float them on hotter waterbath, pickup, roll out water, 
trim, clamp and dry.

You can pick up PMMA sections the same way by applying tape to block, 
sectioning.  The hard part will be to get the PMMA embedded bone section to 
stick to a gelatin coated slide.  I suggest using 275 or 300 bloom in 
chrome gelatin mixture and presubbing the slides.  Room temperature xylene 
should let tape release easily, it may soften the PMMA but that is usually 
better removed with warm xylene.  Once the tape is off, bone section is on 
slide, then you can remove the PMMA with warm xylene.

Instrumedics tape transfer is as Phillip described.  I have not heard of a 
solvent used to remove tape, unless this is a unique modification of procedure.