[Histonet] Pap Pen Blues

[Gayle Callis]

Andrea,

We now use Vectors ImmEdge pens - doesn't come up, and has a hint of 
color.  Cheaper, two to a set. Can remark a slide when wet, although we do 
blot away moisture, but the pen goo does not lift nor flow across a section 
if it contacts buffer - been there and have experienced the "Pap pen oil 
slick syndrome" that ruins IHC when section gets goo-coated.

To use ImmEdge, be sure to shake pens very vigorously to redistribute the 
goo (per their instructions).  We vortex them hard to do that job.  Maybe 
the pens you have now need a good vortexing - worth a try for pricey little 
pens. Pressing the point to start goo is still something that requires 
gentle tough, but I have not had too many problems with that.  Flow is 
generally excellent, right amount.

At 09:29 AM 9/28/2005, you wrote:
>Hello All,
>
>I have used Zymed Mini Pap pens for years now as through trials and 
>tribulations and talking with coworkers we agreed it was the best out 
>there. The pen rarely came up or leaked and gave beautiful results. Even 
>withstood heat retrieval in DAKO Target Retrieval Solution with no 
>problems. The stuff was indestructible!!
>
>This is until recently ... I have noticed with the past several orders 
>that the formula has changed. The pap pen "ink" is now a blue green in 
>color (used to be more generic yellow/beige) and it does not stay on well 
>at all. I end up going home in a state of frustration every day as I pap 
>pen hundreds of slides with little success for the entirety of my 
>experiment. Arggggh!
>
>So I have two questions:
>
>(1) Has anyone else noticed this change in formula over the past year or 
>so? (It may have been longer as I was working with a stock of pap pens 
>before that)
>(2) Who makes your favorite pap pen?
>
>THANKS!
>Andrea
>--
>
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Gayle Callis
Research Histopathology Supervisor
Veterinary Molecular Biology
Montana State University - Bozeman
PO Box 173610
Bozeman MT 59717-3610
406 994-6367
406 994-4303 (FAX)