Fix the brain by perfusion of cold 4% PFA in PB, take out the brain and 
post fix it overnight in the same solution 4deg, then section the fresh 
brain by the vibratom (50-400um), or let sink in Sucrose 30%/PB and then 
section by sliding microtom (20-40 um).
Brain sections is stained better in floating sections, instead of slide 
mounted, if antibodies are to be used.
What does you friend has to stain with?
Gilmor
Stanford, CA

At 05:53 PM 6/5/2001 , you wrote:
>Dear Histonetters:
>
>A friend brought me a block of rat brain to cut.  (I have never cut
>brain tissue before).  The tissue had been formalin fixed and paraffin
>embedded.  When I tried to cut it, the tissue just crumbled out of the
>block.  If I used moist heat and then chilled the block, I could get a
>small ribbon,(six or seven sections) but then the tissue  would
>crumble.  I'm not sure it was processed properly.  Does anyone have a
>good protocol for fixing and processing rat brain?  Also, my friend
>would like to cut thick sections (from 40 to 100 microns thick)  What do
>I need to do that?  Any help would be appreciated.
>
>Louise Strande
>UMDNJ, Camden NJ
>
>