[Histonet] (dehydration question)

[Monfils, Paul]

I would suggest processing your larger specimens on an overnight schedule,
and your small biopsies on a daytime schedule (the entire process taking
anywhere from 4 to 6 hours).

There may be minor differences in how rapidly various alcohols remove water
from tissue, but probably not great enough to warrant changing your
dehydration times. However, you should be aware that the different alcohols
do have some different effects on tissue.  For example, isopropanol causes
less tissue shrinkage and less tissue hardening than ethanol does. This
characteristic doesn't make much practical difference for most tissues, but
it could be either an advantage or a disadvantage for certain tissues.
Methanol dehydrates faster than the other two, but I would avoid products
containing it because of its greater toxicity. It can be absorbed through
the skin, and its vapors are also toxic.

> ----------
> From: 	histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu on behalf of
> Santana, Diane
> Sent: 	Monday, January 30, 2006 10:36 AM
> To: 	'histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu'
> Subject: 	[Histonet] (no subject)
> 
> I have a question for any other small lab. Up to now I only do small GI
> biopsies, we will be getting some derm and in the future some larger
> specimens. How do I set up my tissue processor for large specimen without
> ruin my small biopsies? Also has anyone else had problems with using
> different alcohols from different vendors. Example if I use an Alcohol
> with
> Isopropyl, Ethel, methyl alcohol, to a alcohol with only isopropyl or some
> other combo do you need to readjust your times in the last 100% alcohols.
> Thanks 
> Diane Santana
> PMA
> Haverhill, Mass.
> 
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