We store our tissue samples for years, 7 years or more  - with excellent 
staining for murine CD markers.  After snap freezing, the blocks are left 
inside the Tissue Tek molds, the sides are cut away from mold edges so the 
embedded blocks can be put into a 50 ml centrifuge tube, tightly 
capped.  You can also wrap a frozen block (make sure no tissue is left 
uncovered by the OCT) in aluminum foil, and store in a resealable baggie, 
or the tube.

If you cut a block, be sure to RESEAL the surface (block face)  with a thin 
layer of OCT (put a drop on thumb or tongue depressor stick, and rub across 
the block face, then remove block from metal disk, wrap in foil, put in 
tube.  You can mark on the outside of the foil to identify the block.

  At 02:44 PM 7/24/2007, you wrote:
>Hi all,
>
>How long can samples be kept in OCT embedding media in a -80 freezer 
>before they go bad?  Forever? A day?  I've been trying to stain for 
>intramuscular triglyceride droplets with Oil Red O and it seems that after 
>a couple of days the tissues embedded in OCT stain weaker and eventually 
>don't stain at all.  Any help would be appreciated!
>
>Sonny Duong
>Green Lab
>University of Virginia
>
>
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Gayle Callis
MT,HT,HTL(ASCP)
Research Histopathology Supervisor
Veterinary Molecular Biology
Montana State University - Bozeman
PO Box 173610
Bozeman MT 59717-3610




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