Date sent:      	Tue, 25 Jun 2002 10:02:52 +0100
From:           	Nick Bullough 
Subject:        	Anyone used Clearium mountant?
To:             	"Histonet (E-mail)" 

Has anyone on this wonderful list used Clearium mountant from Surgipath?

It seems like the answer to a lot of peoples problems regarding Xylene usage
as you can coverslip straight from alcohol without using xylene.

Call me cynical, but this does seem a bit too good to be true, is there a
catch with it?

Nick, 
 we have been using it for some time now and generally we are very 
pleased with it. There is no need to finish staining in solvents other 
than iso propyl alcohol, then mount from this, the end result being 
very clear, resolution good and no fading. 
Although this eliminates the need for xylene at the end of staining 
you will still need to coverslip under extraction as the clearium 
solvent is toluene (also contains methyl methacrylate)
 We leave the slides under extraction for a further 5-10 mins to 
allow the slides to dry and any solvent to evaporate.
Also, you will need to keep some xylene (or toluene) handy to 
remove coverslips if necessary. The wax solvent we use (safeclear) 
will not do this. 
Give it a try, you may well like it, especially if are still using that 
nasty xylene!
Terry.


Terry Hacker,
Head of Histopathology and Electron Microscopy
Medical Research Council,
Harwell,
Didcot,
Oxfordshire, OX11 ORD
01235 824521
Fax 01235 834776
e-mail t.hacker@har.mrc.ac.uk