Amy,

Leica has developed a new anti roll plate for its cryostats that is made of
glass. There are no static problems what so ever. You are also able to use
a camel hair brush,which as you know, can cause static with plastic anti
roll plates.

Mari Ann Mailhiot BA  HT ASCP
---------------------- Forwarded by Mari Ann Mailhiot/USDER/West/Leica on
12/17/2001 12:17 PM ---------------------------


"Due, Brice"  on 12/17/2001 11:07:40 AM

To:
cc:

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


_______________________________________________________________________
This message has been checked for all known viruses by the oxstrad Ltd
(www.oxstrad.com) scanning service, powered by Messagelabs. For further
information visit http://www.oxstrad.com