I've had problems with the last 100 slides or so I got from Fisher (the superfrost plus). Sections didn't even make it through fixation in aceton. I didn't have this problem before, just with the last box of slides I was using. I'm guessing it's just a bad batch. If there's a different reason for that, I'd be grateful if someone can provide some information on that. Thank you and happy holidays.

Nidal E Muvarak
Associate Research Specialist
Vascular Tissue Biomechanics Laboratory
Department of Biomedical Engineering
University of Wisconsin-Madison
1550 Engineering Dr.; Rm. 2158
Madison, WI 53706-1609
Lab: (608) 265-8921; Office: (608) 265-4205; 
Home: (608) 256-7934; Cell: (608) 332-6068
http://vtb.bme.wisc.edu

----- Original Message -----
From: nick.kirk3@btopenworld.com
Date: Tuesday, December 23, 2003 7:33 am
Subject: Re: [Histonet] Superfrost plus slides

> Hi Mike
> 
> We've have a similar problem on occasions with Surgipath slides as 
> well. We also have the DAKO Autostainer and use DAKO diluent and 
> detection reagents.
> 
> Nick Kirk
> Histopathology
> Hinchingbrooke Hospital
> Huntingdon
> England
> 
> >  from:    Mike Bromley 
> >  date:    Tue, 23 Dec 2003 11:22:07
> >  to:      scoticc@bigfoot.com, dodson@liv.ac.uk, 
> histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu, suzy.howard@dakocytomation.co.uk, katrina.murphy@dakocytomation.co.uk
> >  subject: Re: [Histonet] Superfrost plus slides
> > 
> > Hi All
> > 
> > We have had a problem with a batch of Menzel Superfrost Plus slides
> > (3451272). They have been made in a way that makes them more 
> hydrophobic> than usual.
> > 
> > The problem may not have been noticed by others because it only 
> occurs under
> > certain circumstances, however the consequences can be extremely 
> serious.> 
> > The circumstances are:
> > 1.	Use of a "flatbed" stainer where the slides are held horizontally
> > 2.	Use of a bad batch of slides
> > 3.	Use of these slides for antibodies which do not require pressure
> > cooking, this usually means enzyme treatment or no treatment 
> (sometimes even
> > when heat treated in a 95-99* water bath as in the Herceptest) 
> Pressure> cooking the slides seems to overcome the hydrophobic 
> nature of the "bad"
> > slides.
> > 
> > Wash buffer usually spreads okay on the slides, but when the 
> reagent is
> > dripped onto the slide it fails to spread evenly. This is 
> usually not a
> > problem if the section is a single piece of tissue and it is hit 
> by the
> > drops however if the section is composed of small pieces then 
> some of these
> > can be missed. Hence your controls may be fine, because they are 
> often a
> > single piece of a reasonable size, but you may miss a critical 
> piece of
> > tissue.
> > 
> > I advise everyone who uses a flatbed horizontal stainer for 
> sections not
> > requiring pressure cook antigen retrieval to watch the addition 
> of the
> > dropped reagents. This problem is due to batch variation and may 
> be slight
> > or extreme depending on the batch.
> > 
> > Other users have noted problems with Superfrost Plus slides 
> before (see
> > histonet archives) We use Superfrost Plus slides because they 
> are better
> > than home made APES slides especially for our slides that are 
> pressure> cooked in high pH solution.
> > 
> > All our reagents are from Dako and the Autostainer protocol is 
> followed.> 
> > Best Wishes
> > 
> > Mike Bromley
> > 
> > Chief Biomedical Scientist
> > Pathology
> > Dumfries & Galloway Royal Infirmary
> > Scotland, UK
> > 
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> > > 
> 
> 
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