[Histonet] Sections sticking to tweezers

[Rosa, Taylor]

Hi Ken,

Try chilling the tips of the forceps (I usually keep mine on the ice bath) - as long as they are cold, they shouldn't stick to the paraffin.

Thanks,

Taylor C. Rosa, MS 
Research Scientist I
Pathology Services | Charles River 
4025 Stirrup Creek Drive, Suite 150, Durham, NC 27703
P: 919.206.7041 | F: 919.206.7001
taylor.rosa at crl.com | www.criver.com

-----Original Message-----
From: Paula Sicurello <patpxs at gmail.com> 
Sent: 06-May-2023 10:57 PM
To: Ken M <kdean70 at hotmail.com>; Ken M via Histonet <histonet at lists.utsouthwestern.edu>
Subject: Re: [Histonet] Sections sticking to tweezers

Hi Ken,
A few questions:
1. What is the melting point of the paraffin you use?  2. Is there a specific reason the temperature of your water bath is 38.5 degrees?  3. Do your forceps have any type of imperfections? Bumpy, or ridged? Something that could snag on the sections?
If there isn't a specific reason for the water bath temperature to be that low (cutting brain sections), I'm thinking that is playing a large part in your sticky sections.
It is common to have the water bath 5 - 10 degrees below the melting point of the wax. It helps the sections stretch out from the compression that happens when being cut.
Let's see what others have to say about your sticky situation.
Paula Sicurello
On Sat, May 6, 2023 at 8:27 AM, Ken M via Histonet<histonet at lists.utsouthwestern.edu> wrote:Can anyone tell me why my sections are sticking to my tweezers and turning into one long string of snot when I try to separate them? I have a good pair of curved stainless tweezers and I am trying both the front and the back and tapping sharply while allowing the tweezers to open at the separation point. I can separate one or two, then it sticks and pulls up 7 or 8 sections into one long slimy string. My water bath is set at 38.5 and I am sectioning at 4-5 m. Even when I go to 6 it still does it. Any ideas?
Ken_______________________________________________Histonet mailing listHistonet at lists.utsouthwestern.eduhttp://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet

Paula Sicurello 
 
  On Sat, May 6, 2023 at 8:27 AM, Ken M via Histonet<histonet at lists.utsouthwestern.edu> wrote:   Can anyone tell me why my sections are sticking to my tweezers and turning into one long string of snot when I try to separate them? I have a good pair of curved stainless tweezers and I am trying both the front and the back and tapping sharply while allowing the tweezers to open at the separation point. I can separate one or two, then it sticks and pulls up 7 or 8 sections into one long slimy string. My water bath is set at 38.5 and I am sectioning at 4-5 m. Even when I go to 6 it still does it. Any ideas?

Ken
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