[Histonet] fix & mount for clam embryos and sperm?

[David A. Wright]

Hello Histonet

We hope next week to fix and mount some fluorescently vitally
stained bivalve (manila clams - (Rudi)Tapes philippinarum)
cleaving eggs and sperm.

For sperm alone, is it better to make a smear of live sperm
and fix on the slide or pre-fix?  Should we use PDL coated
slides? APES? Subbed? SuperFrost Plus? What is the best fixative?

Likewise, any recommendations for attaching cleaving eggs to a
slide? Do shells need to be removed for pre-hatch stages? I am
also concerned that aldehyde fixatives might increase auto-
fluorescence of yolk etc. Any advice there?

There was a recent thread about resin mounting fluorescently
labeled materials.  Any caveats about trying that with our
material?

Thanks, all!
hope you enjoy the long weekend!
-David
---------------
David A. Wright PhD
Biological Sciences Division
University of Chicago