[Histonet] Processing animal fat

[Sherwood, Margaret]

My question is directed specifically to veterinary histologists or histologists
who also do a fair amount of animal processing.  We are having a terrible time
processing pig fat.  We had problems previously, but thought we had solved them.
This latest project (pig skin with a lot of fat attached) came out awful.  The
fat was not adequately processed:  couldn't section it, it just crumbled.  In
the block, it appears white and crumbly.  The funny thing is some blocks came
out all right, but most didn't.

PLEASE help!  Let me know how you process your animal fat (sp. Pig)! Is there a
size issue (we trim it if it is greater than 5mm)?  We have gotten help from the
histonet before and instituted these suggestions (i.e. let sit in formalin for
48 hours; put in cassettes in a 60 degree oven for 1-2 hours and then cool to
room temp. Then process using a 1 hour program).

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks!
Peggy

Peggy Sherwood
Lab Associate, Photopathology
Wellman Center for Photomedicine (EDR 214)
Massachusetts General Hospital
55 Fruit Street
Boston, MA 02114-2696
617-724-4839 (voice mail)
617-726-6983 (lab)
617-726-1206 (fax)
msherwood <@t> partners.org 




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