[Histonet] RE: cutting foams with microtome

[Kellar, Eric C]

Fawn, 

If, you are speaking of the open celled, blue foam biopsy pads, then yes. I have had some success cutting them, but it's  tricky. I face the foam pad embedded cassette at the microtome. I then place a warm water soaked Kimwipe over the faced surface (while still in the chuck holder) for a few minutes. Remove the Kimwipe and spray the entire surface with Frostbite(1,1,1,2 - tetrafluoroethane). The colder the paraffin becomes, the better the foam pad seems to section. The use of low profile, disposable blades also aid in the sectioning.

Hope this helps!


Eric C. Kellar
Histology/Immunohistochemistry
Quest Diagnostics Inc. Miami





Dear histonetters,

I have someone using my lab who is cutting some paraffin embedded foam 
infiltrated with cells.  She is having difficulty getting any sections 
as the foam is falling apart.  Does anybody have a technique for this 
type of material that they would like to share? 

Fawn Jones


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