[Histonet] plastic sectioning advice requested

[daniel blackburn]

My lab hopes to get into plastic sectioning.  We need to be able to process tissue pieces as large and thick as possible, but see that the largest embedding molds for JB4 are only 13x19mm by 5mm deep.   We have two questions:  (1) Do any of the available media (plastic or resins) allow one to embed and section large  pieces (for example eggs with dimensions of 2 cm or larger)?   (2) Is a special microtome (such as a retracting microtome) needed?   Our reason for considering plastic is that we must section yolk, which splits out of standard paraffin during sectioning. Any advice is appreciated. -- Daniel Blackburn, Trinity College