[Histonet] Paraffin sectioning rat brain

[John Baker]

Hello All,  Can someone give me any insight into the procedure for 
getting good 7 micron paraffin sections?  I work with bone usually but 
am doing work for a Neurosurgery group.  I process my slices of rat and 
gerbil brain for 8 hours and then embed in Paraplast Plus.  I ice my 
blocks before taking ribbons and then float the sections on an alcohol 
20% EtOH pre-float bath then transfer the sections to a 50 degree C 
waterbath.  I use Superfrost Plus slides and heat them over night on a 
45 degree C warming table.  I do a Hematoxylin -Gills 3 and alcoholic 
eosin stain.  The doctor is trying to detect small infarctions and 
areas showing ischemic neuronal changes - eosinophilic cytoplasm and 
nuclear changes such as pyknosis, karyolysis and karyorrhexis.  
Cellular detail is good but I am getting fine wrinkles in the tissue.  
Any suggestions in my method appreciated.  Thanks in advance.  John

John A. Baker
The University of Michigan
Orthopaedic Research Laboratories
Histology Unit
109 Zina Pitcher Place, 2218 BSRB
Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2200
734-936-1635