[Histonet] Shiny side of a paraffin section

[Lee & Peggy Wenk]

I think it's more to have consistency, rather than, say, a physical reason. 
My opinion.

Example:
- Tech A put the shiny side down on the flotation bath, and picked up the 
sections on the slide, and did an H&E.
- Later in the day, the pathologist needs additional levels or some special 
stains or IHC  on the same block.
- If Tech B now cuts the same block and puts shiny side up, the sections 
would be 180 degrees reversed. So if the pathologist saw the area of concern 
in lower left quadrant in the original H&E, now it would be in the upper 
right quadrant.

Sort of the same reason when laying out ribbons, it would be nice for the 
the top of the block be picked up from the ribbon oriented towards the top 
(frosty) part of the slide. If all techs picked up the ribbon in the same 
orientation directions, all subsequent recuts would also be in the same 
direction, regardless of which tech cut the block. (Unless of course you are 
putting 3 ribbons on the same slide, then the top of the block may be 
different, but even then, the ribbons are always laid out in the same 
directions, so that all 3 ribbons of tissue are facing the same direction.)

It just makes it easier for the pathologist to find the same area quickly on 
each section. And for the histotech to check the quality of the staining in 
specific areas on each slide.

Peggy A. Wenk,HTL(ASCP)SLS
Beaumont Hospital
Royal Oak, MI 48073
The opinions expressed are my own, and do not reflect upon Beaumont 
Hospital.

-----Original Message----- 
From: Eric Hoy
Sent: Tuesday, February 28, 2012 8:36 PM
To: Histonet
Subject: Re: [Histonet] Shiny side of a paraffin section

All of the cells would be face down when you looked at them!

(It's already been a long week!)

Eric Hoy

===============================================
Eric S. Hoy, Ph.D., SI(ASCP)
Clinical Associate Professor
Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences
The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
Dallas, Texas
Email: Eric.Hoy <@t> UTSouthwestern.edu
===============================================


On 2/28/12 5:56 PM, "Lucie Guernsey" <lguernsey <@t> ucsd.edu> wrote:

> As all of us who cut paraffin know, the underside of each section as it
> comes off the blade is shiny. I've always accepted it as a fact that the
> shiny side always goes down on the water bath, but I've begun to wonder
> why. Is there a specific reason why we're all taught to put the shiny side
> down? What would the difference be between a 'properly' collected section
> and a rebelliously collected shiny-side up section? Does it even matter?
>
> Thanks!
> Lucie
>
> Lucie Guernsey
> UC San Diego
> lguernsey <@t> ucsd.edu
> _______________________________________________
> Histonet mailing list
> Histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
> http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet



_______________________________________________
Histonet mailing list
Histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet