Crystalmount

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From:Gayle Callis <uvsgc@msu.oscs.montana.edu>
To:histonet@pathology.swmed.edu
Reply-To:
Date:Wed, 28 Jul 1999 09:05:29 -0600
Content-Type:

Manufacturer instructions say to use crystalmount directly over section,
let it harden at specified temperatures, and then put a permanent 
coverslip over the crystalmount(ed) section.  Crystalmount could 
be described as a liquid coverslip and protects AEC from fading
in the presence of xylene or xyl substitutes.  

Never tried it as normal procedural mounting media, but guess it 
works (like a regular xylene or toluene based mounting media) with coverslip. 
Joe is correct, AEC can still be  viewed after years,
but store slides in a black well sealed slide box, away from light.

When hurried, the crystalmounted/AEC stained slides are put in
a 60C oven, flat, for 15 to 20 minutes, and can be viewed after that time,
but the wavy, uneveness is there.  For photos, we put the permanent coverslip
on, much nicer.  Often we just let slides sit overnight to harden and do
permanent coverslip next day.  Top of embedding center provides a bit of
warm temps for this.

The mounting media may be expensive, but after all the work one puts into
doing an immunostain, it is a justified cost.  I believe Biogenex, Dako,
and Shandon have comparable mounting media to Crystalmount.  Bob Schoonhoven
has a source also.

Gayle Callis  





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