Jim -
If microwave processing is done properly then differences in fixation are 
minute. Note that microwave fixation is used in TEM, so it stands to reason 
that some of the "minute" differences in histo fixation are actually 
improvements on conventional methods. Rapid preparation methods that include 
staining and decalcification may also show minor variations.
It's not a question of "what is real"; no preservation method gives completely 
life-like results. The important question is 'are the differences large enough 
to potentially affect interpretation when conventional and microwave fixation 
are employed in the same laboratory'. It seems that the literature (what I've 
seen) suggests that interpretation or diagnosis would not be affected. This is 
a question that people experienced with both methods may like to discuss.
Our online lists some pertinent microwave references and information on a link 
from page E3 which is called  . . . . features, applications and some 
references.
Disclaimer: PST is a supplier of laboratory microwave systems.

Concerning the "future lab". I like the quote "it is difficult to predict, 
especially the future" (forgot who said). It seems that frequently new 
technology does not replace the old but it added as another (expensive) option. 
I predict that microwave will be most common fixation in histo labs within five 
years and well before Confocals are common in these labs.
Cheers
Jim Darley
ProSciTech                 Microscopy PLUS
PO Box 111, Thuringowa  QLD  4817  Australia
Ph +61 7 4774 0370  Fax:+61 7 4789 2313  service@proscitech.com.au
Great microscopy catalogue, 500 Links, MSDS, User Notes
                      www.proscitech.com.au

On Friday, July 09, 1999 6:39 PM, Jim Hall [SMTP:rmkdhjh@ucl.ac.uk] wrote:
> Dear colleagues,
>
> I am in the final stages of evaluating a microwave tissue processor and am
> awaiting our pathologists' comments on the morphology.  Does anyone have
> views on how sections from microwave processed tissues compare to sections
> produced by enclosed processors morphologically?  I would very much like to
> hear from anyone who has.
>
> Referring to "The future of Histology" I can go back even further when we
> took delivery in the early 60's of a brand new Slee cryostat complete with
> rocker microtome and my Pathologist telling me that this was the future and
> that all sections examined by Pathologists would be frozen sections!!!
>
> Best regards,
>
> Jim.
> Jim Hall,
> MDA Equipment Evaluator,
> Department of Histopathology,
> University College London Hospitals,
> Rockefeller Building,
> University Street,
> London, WC1E 6JJ.
> Tel.No. 0171 209 6042
> Fax 0171 387 3674