[Histonet] Re: Histonet Digest, Vol 98, Issue 36

[Truscott, Tom]

Hi Jennifer, I am by no means an expert on this, but have done a few mouse guts. I think that trying to flush out the feces with formalin or saline soon after necropsy, would help preserve the mucosa. The bacteria in the gut start breaking down the mucosa soon after death. Perhaps the gut is thin enough to fix rapidly enough to prevent damage to the mucosa without flushing. If that is the case, then flushing out the feces after fixation might help the quality of your slides. You may have to get permission to open up the gut to flush out the feces. It may hinge on how the tissue needs to be trimmed and oriented. Good luck, Tom Truscott

-----Original Message-----
From: histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu [mailto:histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu] On Behalf Of Jennifer Sipes
Sent: Thursday, January 26, 2012 10:13 AM
To: histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
Subject: [Histonet] Re: Histonet Digest, Vol 98, Issue 36

Hi Histonetters!
 
I have a question that I'm hoping you guys can help me with.  I have a person who brings me mouse intestinal tract with fecal matter still in it.  She can NOT remove the fecal matter before processing due to the fact that her lab is studying the mucus membrane. She had asked the lab that was doing this how they got such prestine sections while we are having a hard time with the sections staying neat due to all the nicks caused by the fecal matter.  Does anyone have any suggestions as to how best to handle this??  It seems to be getting worse the further into the study she goes.
 
Thank you in advance for any help that you give!! It is truly appreciated!
 
Jennifer K. Sipes, ALAT 
Sr. Laboratory Technician 
Johns Hopkins University 
Ross 933 
720 Rutland Avenue 
Baltimore, MD  21205 
phone:     410-614-0131 
fax:         410-955-9677 
cell:         443-631-6361 
e-mail:  jsipes1 <@t> jhmi.edu
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