[Histonet] microwave processing

[Rene J Buesa]

Hi Gudrun:
I recommend you to get "The Microwave tool book" by Login and Dvorak (1994) I am also sending you under separate cover an article I wrote on the subject.
As to your questions, the practice of histology has concluded that:
1- the physical principle is that microwaves excite ("shake") all chemical molecules with electrical charge and, in consequence, that "shaking" produces heat. That is why paraffin and any "non-polar" molecule cannot be heated in a MW oven per se.
2- infiltration is faster because the heat is generated within the tissues, not by external convection
3- proteins (and antigens as proteins themselves) are not adversely affected by MW radiation (or so the say).
4- everybody using MW tissue processing claims that IHC procedures are not affected by the procedure.
Having said all of the above I personally do not like MW processing; there are many ways of having fast processing with conventional tissue processors.
René J.


________________________________
From: Gudrun Lang <gu.lang <@t> gmx.at>
To: Histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu 
Sent: Monday, January 13, 2014 1:56 PM
Subject: [Histonet] microwave processing




Hi!

Can someone recommend literature about microwave processing. I'm interested
in the physical principles behind the process. And I want to get answers to
the questions: why is this microwave-assisted infiltration faster? What
happens to proteins /antigens under microwave radiation? Is there a
difference between conventional or microwave processing in relation to
antigen preservation after usual formalinfixation.



Thanks in advance

Gudrun Lang





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