[Histonet] Disect-Aid

[John Kiernan]

Numerous Histonet messages have extolled Davidson's fixative
for this purpose. It contains less alcohol than Rene Buesa's
mixture, so it's cheaper! The recipe is on Dr Bob Richmond's
web site:
http://members.aol.com/RSRICHMOND/histology.html


For fun, and just to be pedantic: the word is dissect, and its
first sy

llable rhymes with hiss, not with dice. The origin is from sect
(cut) and dis (apart). 

Until about 15 years ago it didn't matter how you pronounced the
word, but there is now an important  stereological technique
called "the disector" (only one s) that obtains unbiased
estimates of numbers and volumes of cells and other objects. The
method involves collecting measurements from two (di) sections
through a specimen. A dissector must obtain the specimen, and a
histotechnologist (a sector who uses dyes) must prepare it for a
morphometrist to apply the disector. The disector's results are
tables of numbers, split up into many sections and very difficult
to understand.

We who dissect should proudly defend our skills by saying the
word correctly. Dye-sect (for dissect) is in the same class
(Homer Simpson) as nucular (for nuclear). Words like bacteria,
data and media (all plural) are often used in newspapers as if
they were singular rather than plural. 

John Kiernan
Anatomy, UWO
London, Canada.
__________________________________________
BSylinda <@t> aol.com wrote:
> 
> Hi Histoland,
>     I am writing for more information about  disect-aid.  Do anyone  have any
> experience in using this reagent for  fatty tissue such as lymph node tissue.
>  Out pathologist is interested in  trying this.  Any feedback of pros and
> cons of using this product would be  greatly appreciated.  Could you also forward
> vendor information as  well.
> 
> Thanks,
> Sylinda
> 
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