[Histonet] Matrigel as culture medium - try agarose embedding

[MVaughan4 <@t> ucok.edu]

Teri,
Can you embed or surround the matrigel mixture in a low-melting agarose 
first, then postfix the agarose/matrigel mixture in formalin, followed by 
paraffin embedding? I have used it with collagen matrices.
Mel

Melville B. Vaughan, Ph. D.
Assistant Professor of Biology
Campus Coordinator, NSF Sure-Step program
University of Central Oklahoma
100 N. University Drive
Edmond, OK 73034
http://www.biology.ucok.edu/PersonalPages/mvaughan/Default.htm

Message: 8
Date: Fri, 16 Nov 2007 14:42:54 -0600
From: "Keller, Charles" <kellerc2 <@t> uthscsa.edu>
Subject: RE: [Histonet] Matrigel as culture medium
To: "Johnson, Teri" <TJJ <@t> Stowers-Institute.org>,
                 <histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu>
Message-ID:
 <A1827A123364E949BDCB52A739347A1D05175BAB <@t> addax.win.uthscsa.edu>
Content-Type: text/plain;                charset="us-ascii"

Dear Teri, a possible solution is to use Extracel (from Glycosan Inc in
Utah) instead of Matrigel.  I've fixed Extracel in 10% formalin and
sectioned in in paraffin.  It has the advantage of being synthetic
(Matrigel has viral contamination from time to time).  Sincerely,
Charles

-----Original Message-----
From: histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
[mailto:histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu] On Behalf Of Johnson,
Teri
Sent: Friday, November 16, 2007 9:57 AM
To: histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
Subject: [Histonet] Matrigel as culture medium

One of our researchers is using matrigel as a culture medium on
chambered slides. We tried paraffin embedding them, and found the
Matrigel wasn't really solid enough to hold the cellular structure in
place. We found it particularly difficult to keep some sort of
consistency scraping it off (it had the consistency of warm jelly).

I'd love to hear some ideas on how we can accomplish sample processing
without centrifugation. Ideally it would be good to encase the cells in
a matrix that would solidfy enough to embed as a cell block, keeping the
cellular structure intact. 

Thanks for your help!

Teri Johnson, HT(ASCP)QIHC
Managing Director Histology Facility
Stowers Institute for Medical Research
1000 E. 50th St.
Kansas City, MO 64110

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