[Histonet] Re-embed agar/FFPE tissue in plastic?

[Kate Davoli]

I have a bunch of precious FFPE samples that were embedded in agar prior to
being embedded in wax (so as to orient the tissue easily).  The client now
wants these samples to be taken backwards out of wax and processed for
semithin plastic GMA (JB-4) sectioning.

Is that possible? Will the tissue having previously been embedded in wax
cause problems for the reagent infiltration or the plastic curing?  Will it
interfere with the catalyst?  I know that taking tissue back through
xylenes and alcohols is *supposed *to be able to remove all the wax, but
does it really?

I need the agar support surrounding the sample to STAY on the sample so
that it can stand upright during the plastic curing ... has anybody tried
to do double embedding with agar and then JB-4?  Does that work?

Please help!