Dear histonetters!

We recently started using Shandon Coverplates for
immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization (without
the staining center or automatic stainer).

Everything seemed to be fine first and we were very happy
with the system. However, we soon noticed that using
Coverplates resulted in mounting problems. We are using
an aqueous mounting medium (traditional glycerin-gelatin
jelly) as the NBT/BCIP stain of in situ hyb seems to
fade with xylene-based stuff. This used to work just well,
but with Coverplated slides the mounting medium seems
to evaporate or contract somehow, and sections often
get dehydrated (and thus ruined). This happens very quickly,
in a matter of hours or days.

I can't understand why this might be. The slides don't
even go directly from Coverplates to mounting, but they
are at least washed a few times and counterstained and
again washed in between. But this really happens exactly
and only with slides that have been stained using Coverplates.

Any ideas, or better yet, suggestions for solutions?

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   Mikael Niku             URL: www.helsinki.fi/~mniku/
   University of Helsinki  Dept. Basic Veterinary Sciences
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