RE: Cryostat static - anti-roll plate is culprit - P.S. Dear Micr o m...

From:"Bright, Alan"

RE: Cryostat static - anti-roll plate is culprit - P.S. Dear Micro m...

Dear Brice,

Your P.S. answered

We at Bright Instrument Company, England, already manufacture anti-static plastic anti-roll plates for our Cryostats (Anti-static,Easi-Set anti-roll plate 50mm).  They are low cost too.

R&D devote considerable attention to the manufacture of these anti-roll plates.  In the mid-1950's they were made from glass; they were not always easy to set up and would chip on the top edge.  They were manufactured from 3 x 1 inch ground edge microscope slides, were easy and inexpensive to replace but also damaged the facet of the knife.  During the 1960's we started using plastic, which we still use, and constantly improve in order to provide good quality sections with ease.  We also manufacture specials from time to time; the Far East preferred a wire type of anti-roll, which also solved the problem of static.

There do seem to be faults with some of the Cryostats on the market at present, whereby users have to make use of a brush to retrieve their sections or use a very expensive and slow tape removal of sections, use vacuum assisted anti-roll causing large air disturbances or go back to using glass.


Alan Bright

Bright Instrument Co.Ltd.
St Margaret's Way
Huntingdon
Cambridgeshire
PE29 6EU
England
 
Tel No:+44 (0)1480 454528
Fax No:+44 (0)1480 456031
Email: AlanBright@brightinstruments.com
Web Site: www.brightinstruments.com
 


-----Original Message-----
From: Due, Brice [mailto:BDUE@PARTNERS.ORG]
Sent: 17 December 2001 17:08
To: 'Amy Johnson'; 'Histonet'
Subject: Re:Cryostat static - anti-roll plate is culprit - P.S. Dear
Micro m...


I use an anti-static brush from Fisher. It contains a small amount of
radioactive polonium which keeps the brush charged in a way that neutralizes
static on contact.

For me the biggest culprit is not body static - although I do avoid wearing
gloves (except with HIV cases).

Our Microm 505 has a clear plastic anti-roll plate. The act of cutting
frozen human muscle puts a big static charge on the anti-roll plate. So much
so that the section will stick and crumple instead of sliding nicely under
the plate.

I know this is what's happening because I can eliminate the problem by
brushing the underside of the anti-roll plate with the anti-static brush.
Unfortunately I have to brush it between every section to get consistently
good results.

But I NEVER EVER have a problem with sections jumping or even standing up. I
don't have to be careful flipping up the anti-roll plate since there is no
static which will pull the section along with it. The extra time needed to
brush the anti-roll plate after every section is made up for by being able
to quickly flip up the anti-roll plate and never having to tease a section
to lay flat before picking it up.

I pick up all sections on charged slides with excellent preservation of
morphology.

Hope this helps someone...

P.S. Dear Microm and other cryostat manufacturers: Would you please make
your anti-roll plates out of a conductive plastic? Such plastics are seen
everywhere wrapping every piece of computer hardware sold - to protect
against electrostatic discharge. It would be great if the anti-roll plate
could dissipate static by itself!! I'd even be willing to pay a small sum to
put such a piece of plastic in my cryostat.

-brice
Brigham & Women's Hospital
Neuropathology Lab


> -----Original Message-----
> From: Amy Johnson [SMTP:ajohnson@aipathology.com]
> Sent: Monday, December 03, 2001 11:58 AM
> To:   'Histonet'
> Subject:      Cryostat static
>
> Our pathology group has a LEICA CM1850 cryostat, My question to the
> histonet
> is......Does anyone experience static electricity when trying to pick up
> sections?  When we try to pick up the sections they will fly up to the
> slide
> or off on their own.  We would like to know how to remedy this if there is
> any. Thanks for your help
> Amylin Johnson
> Associates in Pathology
> Wausau, WI


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