[Histonet] Spurrs? Re: plant anatomy - sectioning problems

[Philip Oshel]

Spurr's as such has not been discontinued, but one of its components 
has. Which is good, it's my favorite resin for both plants and 
animals.
ERL 4206, VCD, is no longer available, and ERL 4221 has been 
substituted. 4221 is Cycloaliphatic Epoxide Resin.
The suppliers were (may still be) claiming that 4221 is a straight 
1:1 substitute for 4206, but it isn't. Making Spurr's with the new 
component is covered in:
E. Ann Ellis
Solutions to the Problem of Substitution of ERL 4221 for Vinyl 
Cyclohexene Dioxide in Spurr Low Viscosity Embedding Formulations
Microscopy Today, July 2006 14(4):32 ff

I can a PDF of the article to anyone who wants it.

Phil

>I had heard that Spurrs was discontinued.  Hopefully there is a 
>substitute and contacting Energy Beam Sciences may be one way to 
>find out.  Can anyone enlighten us on this?
>
>:02 AM 4/13/2007, you wrote:
>>   If possible and you can use resins, try Spurr's.  It was 
>>specifically designed
>>to use with plants and vegetables, and you can cut as thin as 1 micron.  The
>>resin is easy to use, is less toxic that epon, and has great penetration.
>>
>>Heather Downs BS
>>Nerve Injury Unit
>>Mass General Hospital
>>Boston Mass, 02114
>
>Gayle Callis
>MT,HT,HTL(ASCP)
>Research Histopathology Supervisor
>Veterinary Molecular Biology
>Montana State University - Bozeman
>PO Box 173610
>Bozeman MT 59717-3610
-- 
Philip Oshel
Technical Editor, Microscopy Today
Microscopy Facility Supervisor
Biology Department
024C Brooks Hall
Central Michigan University
Mt. Pleasant, MI 48859
voice: (989) 774-3576
fax: (989) 774-3462