I would have thought this would be very simple to section in a capable
cryostat.

Best Regards


Alan Bright

Bright Instrument Co.Ltd.
St Margarets Way
Huntingdon
PE18 6EB
England

Tel No; 01480 454528
Fax No;01480 456031
Email ; Bright@dial.pipex.com


-----Original Message-----
From: Michelle McCafferty <mmccaff@mbl.edu>
To: Histonet@pathology.swmed.edu <Histonet@pathology.swmed.edu>
Date: Thursday, December 10, 1998 11:00
Subject: Shark vertebrae


>
>Hi everyone!
>
> A researcher at the MBL is interested in cutting 100 micron
>sections longitudinally through individual vertebra from the gray shark.
>Being an elasmobranch this will be cartilaginous vertebra.  He has done
>some
>literature searches on the subject and has come up with several options
>for methodology.  The MBL has a vibrating microtome available for him to
>use - which was mentioned in one paper he has - but he is a little at a
>loss as to how his samples should be prepared to cut 100 micron sections.
>This is out of my realm of experience so I am appealing to the Histonet
>gurus for help.  The vertebrae are already fixed and he believes the
>fixative is formalin.  The question - how should the vertebra be prepared
>for cutting on the vibrating microtome?  Should it be embedded, and if so
>in which medium?  Or is it possible to cut the vertebra without embedding
>on this sort of microtome.  I apologize if some of these questions sound
>silly, but like I said I do not have any experience with vibrating
>microtomes
>(other than being told that they are not all Vibratomes!).  Any
>suggestions, recommendations, experiences, etc....will be very much
>appreciated.  I can forward all information to the researcher or have him
>get directly in touch with anyone who would care to discuss specifics more
>thoroughly.
>
> As always, many thanks in advance.
>
> Michelle
>
>
>Michelle McCafferty
>Marine Biological Laboratory
>7 MBL Street
>Woods Hole, MA 02543-1015
>
>
>