[Histonet] air drying special stain slides rather than dehydrate and clear

[Horn, Hazel V]

I suppose my age will show here but I was always taught to NEVER let slides dry out unless the procedure indicated such.   Is there no drying artifact when you let these slide dry before coverslipping?

Hazel Horn
Supervisor of Histology/Autopsy/Transcription
Anatomic Pathology
Arkansas Children's Hospital
1 Children's Way | Slot 820| Little Rock, AR 72202
501.364.4240 direct | 501.364.1302 office | 501.364.1241 fax
hornhv <@t> archildrens.org
archildrens.org




100 YEARS YOUNG!
JOIN THE PARTY AT
ach100.org



-----Original Message-----
From: histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu [mailto:histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu] On Behalf Of Amos Brooks
Sent: Tuesday, September 11, 2012 7:31 PM
To: histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
Subject: [Histonet] air drying special stain slides rather than dehydrate and clear

Hi,
     My choice to air dry rather than dehydrate in ETOH & xylene is based on the stain rather than the spooky xylene hazard boogyman. Yes, not using xylene if it is not really needed is not a bad idea, but the main reason I air dry some stains is the alcohols remove some of the stains. Ever have a beautiful Luxol Fast Blue bleach out on you? The most exasperating thing in the world!
    Generally stains that end in water can easily be air dried. Something alcoholic like eosin or Movat's Pentachrome ending in alcoholic saffron might as well be finished traditionally. I air dry any stain that is counterstained in Nuclear Fast Red, Light Green, Methyl Green. I have air dried IHCs with no ill effects too. Don't try it with fluorescents though, that would be bad ... and pointless.
     I don't put them in an oven. I set them at the front of the fume hood and go do something else for a few minutes. If I want to rush it I close the sash to increase the flow rate for a bit. (Of course it is opened back up right after so the draft works properly.) Amos


On Tue, Sep 11, 2012 at 11:09 AM, <histonet-request <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
> wrote:

> Message: 16
> Date: Tue, 11 Sep 2012 10:32:08 -0400
> From: "Diana McCaig" <dmccaig <@t> ckha.on.ca>
> Subject: [Histonet] air drying special stain slides rather than
>         dehydrate       and clear
> To: <histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu>
> Message-ID:
>         <DCFD9E6A390E294AAF3A2561CD32E5C417A90529 <@t> ckhamail1.ckha.on.ca>
> Content-Type: text/plain;       charset="us-ascii"
>
> I was hoping to get information on why special stains are dehydrated, 
> cleared and mounted vs allowing them to be blotted dry, air dried then 
> coverslip.
>
>
>
> Every procedure I have ever encountered always indicates to dehydrate 
> and clear but I have heard where some labs are blotting the slides , 
> allowing to air dry (probably not set standard time) and dipped in 
> xylene prior to cover slipping.  Reason given is that the counterstain 
> gets washed out.  Wouldn't adjusting the times be a better resolution.
>
>
>
> I understand residual water could be present and cause long term 
> issues on storage but wanted some other opinions on this process.
>
>
>
> Diana
>
_______________________________________________
Histonet mailing list
Histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet

******************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
The information contained in this message may be privileged and confidential
and protected from disclosure. If the reader of this message is not the 
intended recipient, or an employee or agent responsible for delivering this 
message to the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any 
dissemination, distribution or copying of this communication is strictly 
prohibited. If you have received this communication in error, please notify 
us immediately by replying to the message and deleting it from your computer.
Thank you.