[Histonet] Re: Plastic sectioning basics

[Jorge Tornero]

Dear Linda,

I have to thank you for your information. My microtome is not
motorized, and I think i have a problem closer to yours, inCadiz we
have a lot of humidity and I suspected a little about the fact that
moisture could have influence in cutting, but also i thought than
temperature could be another important fact, because it was easier for
me to cut the block in winter than in summer. Also, i have thought
that maybe the blocks need to "cure" a long time to be good to cut.
Also I noticed that the harder the block, the easier to cut it. I
tried also to try to freeze a block but in very high humidity
conditions is not a good idea (condensation). I will try to dry the
blocks more and see what happens. Thank you.

2005/5/19, Linda Jenkins <jlinda <@t> ces.clemson.edu>:
> Dear Jorge,
>          You know, I never did care to eat anchovies and, apparently, they
> don't section  well either! <laughing>  As Gayle said in her message, I do
> section GMA with disposable blades.  I use a variety of high profile,
> stainless steel disposable blades...they all work well.  I have a Leica
> 2155 and set the angle between 0 - 5.  Is the 2145 a manual or motorized
> microtome?  Hopefully, it is motorized  as this makes sectioning GMA a lot
> easier.  Our labs in South Carolina are very humid and we leave our GMA
> blocks under vacuum with Drierite (brandname dessicant) until sectioning
> each block.
>          Unfortunately, there are no classical books devoted to plastic
> sectioning per se.  You can get bits and pieces from some books.  Try,
> "Handbook of Histology Methods for Bone and Cartilage"  by An & Martin,
> Humana Press, 2003.
>          Best wishes,
>          Linda
> 
> 
> Linda Jenkins, HT
> Clemson University
> Dept. of Bioengineering
> Clemson, SC 29634-0905
> 864.656.5553
> http://www.ces.clemson.edu/bio/research/histo.htm
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Histonet mailing list
> Histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
> http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet
>