[Histonet] Section position on slides

[Bartlett, Jeanine (CDC/OID/NCEZID)]

I always try to center the section equally from sides and top-bottom as possible. This means measure from the bottom of the frosted edge as the "top".  The Artisan special stains system has a clip that attaches around the slide to allow reagents to pool onto the sections and incubate.  If the section is too close to the sides then these areas do not stain adequately.  Sometimes if the tissue section itself is very large this is unavoidable.  With automated coverslippers you must also consider placement of tissue to allow for proper coverage.

If I am cutting multiple unstained slides for subsequent testing I try to orient the tissue the same on each slide to facilitate the reading of these slides by the pathologist's

Jeanine Bartlett
Infectious Diseases Pathology Branch
(404) 639-3590 
jeanine.bartlett <@t> cdc.hhs.gov

-----Original Message-----
From: histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu [mailto:histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu] On Behalf Of Tanya Ewing-Finchem
Sent: Wednesday, February 16, 2011 12:09 AM
To: histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
Subject: [Histonet] Section position on slides


I am trying to put together a training document around microtomy and sectioning and am finding it hard to find information around the placement of the actual sections on the slides.  These are the objectives I am looking to answer.  Is this information found in any publications?
 
1)  Tissue / Section Placement:  Are there published guidelines / documentation on precisely where you should place tissue sections on a 25mm x 75mm glass slide?   Perhaps more importantly, where you should NOT place tissue (ie. "x" mm from the edge of the glass slide)?
 
2)  Diagnosable Slide Staining Area:  With automation becoming more widely used in IHC, are there published guidelines / documentation on the usable or diagnosable staining area on a 25mm x 75mm glass slide?  For instance, would you define that as the area under a traditional coverslip?  Would this be defined as the entire slide below the label?  Or is this some distance from all the edges of the slide?  With some automated systems, it is near impossible to get edge to edge staining.  Is this acceptable?  

 
Thanks for any ideas. 		 	   		  _______________________________________________
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