1.  Largest I have seen was piece of brain in the 2" x 4" range.  Largest I
have cut with it was about 1.5" x 2".  Rabbit urinary bladder half fluted
with razor to flat embedment, 2" x 3" block.  Using a 9" hollow-ground blade
we cut serial, horizontal sections <10um and mounted them on 2" x 3" slides.
Same slides we used for canine prostates, though we cut those with an LKB,
retracting, paraffin microtome.
2.  Yes.  Lantern slide glass.  Optically clear and about 1mm thick.
3.  I have an AO 860 sledge Microtome (~18" sliding bed with capacity to
hold a 12" knife).  Ever time I think of getting rid of the 50lb albatross,
I find another use for it.  I finally gave up and decided to saddle my
children with it by leaving it to all four and forcing them to place it in a
happy home. 

Hope this suffices from one who not only has the instrument, but the little
green book as well.

Regards,

Fred Monson

Frederick C. Monson, PhD   
Center for Advanced Scientific Imaging
Schmucker II Science Center
West Chester University
South Church Street 
West Chester, Pennsylvania, USA, 19383
Phone:  610-738-0437
FAX:  610-738-0437
fmonson@wcupa.edu
CASI URL:  http://darwin/wcupa.edu/casi/
WCUPA URL:  http://www.wcupa.edu/
Visitors URL:  http://www.wcupa.edu/_visitors/




> ----------
> From: 	Weems, Joyce
> Sent: 	Tuesday, April 2, 2002 1:52 PM
> To: 	'Histonet'
> Subject: 	Questions
> 
> A friend and I were talking today and came up with questions about
> microtomes and tissue size that we are not familiar with. Could you
> experts
> in the field help us?
> 
> 1.	What is the largest tissue one can cut with a sliding microtome?
> 
> 2.	Are there 2" x 4" glass slides that can be used for large pieces of
> tissue?
> 
> 3.	How many sliding microtomes are still being used? 
> 
> Thanks for your help! J
>  
> Joyce Weems
> Pathology Manager
> Saint Joseph's Hospital of Atlanta
> 
> 
>