[Histonet] Sakura embedding station TEC 5

[Andrea Grantham]

We got the TEC 5 last summer and well, I do like it but I'm not in love 
with it. I think it is because of my type of lab which is a research 
histology core facility. We do all kinds of crazy things here - like 
trimming the samples at embedding for instance. Plus, it is too deep to go 
where we had our old embedder so we had to put it in anew spot and it is 
not the most convenient because it is in the flow of traffic and the air 
vents. We deflected the air but the traffic - no way to do that but to move 
to a new lab! HA!
I don't like that the light is wimpy. Well it is in my estimation. Too dim 
for my old eyes and it doesn't cover enough area, so I have to have another 
lamp set up over the embedding area to illuminate the samples for proper 
orientation. Then, the surface of the embedding area is silver - it 
reflects light and the glare is something awful. After a long embedding 
session you just need to go to a dark corner and rest.
Because we don't embed every day we never use the auto turn on/off 
functions. That feature is wasted on us here but I agree it would be great 
in a clinical lab.
We often trim the tissues just before embedding - often we get rodent 
stomachs and intestines on a membrane to keep them flat and they are 
usually too tall high for the normal embedding mold so we bisect them 
lengthwise and embed both halves or we get esophagus with stomach attached 
and we cut to show the junction, etc. We have rigged up a plastic cover to 
fit over the stage as a little cutting board as to not scratch the stage 
but it warps so I am currently looking for another type of material that 
can get hot, be used as a cutting board and not warp. We used to use a 
large glass slide on our old embedding center but it moves around too much 
on this one.
However as Gayle pointed out the flat surface on the top of the paraffin 
reservoir is a wonderful place to air dry slides when the protocol does not 
allow for over drying. It is nice and warm - not hot - and the slides dry 
nicely.

Andi Grantham




At 08:48 AM 4/4/2007 -0600, Gayle Callis wrote:
>Along with 2 module design, it also ALL flat surfaces at the 
>embedding/cooling areas and NO handle on lid over paraffin reservoir (we 
>dislike raised handles).  This then gives us a handy low temperature 
>heating area if needed.  We are extremely happy with this embedding center.
>
>At 04:28 AM 4/4/2007, you wrote:
>>The Sakura also has a 2-module design.
>>Jeanine Bartlett
>>Infectious Disease Pathology Branch
>>(404) 639-3590
>>jeanine.bartlett <@t> cdc.hhs.gov
>
>Gayle Callis
>MT,HT,HTL(ASCP)
>Research Histopathology Supervisor
>Veterinary Molecular Biology
>Montana State University - Bozeman
>PO Box 173610
>Bozeman MT 59717-3610
>406 994-6367
>406 994-4303 (FAX)
>
>
>
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.....................................................................
: Andrea Grantham, HT(ASCP)     Dept. of Cell Biology & Anatomy     :
: Sr. Research Specialist       University of Arizona               :
: (office:  AHSC 4212)          P.O. Box 245044                     :
: (voice:  520-626-4415)        Tucson, AZ  85724-5044    USA       :
: (FAX:  520-626-2097)          (email:  algranth <@t> u.arizona.edu)       :
:...................................................................:
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