Hi,
    DARN, does this mean I have to take down the altar and ceremonial daggers?
HAHA! That dratted spell check got me again. You've really gotta watch those
buggers. It didn't recognize "decerated" as a word so it gave me "desecrated"
instead. Somehow I must have clicked replace accidentally.
Amos Brooks
(and no I don't really have an altar ... it was a joke)

"Smith, Allen" wrote:

> Paraffiin sections are decerated in xylene.  Most of us try to assure
> patients or next-of-kin that their tissues are not "desecrated".
>
>                 -----Original Message-----
>                 From:   amos brooks [mailto:atbrooks@snet.net]
>                 Sent:   Friday, March 10, 2000 3:05 PM
>                 To:     cklein@mail.mdanderson.org
>                 Cc:     histonet@pathology.swmed.edu
>                 Subject:        Re: Fixation time for mouse skin
>
>                 Hi,
>                 Wow! "dipped in paraffin"? I think that's the problem. The
> infiltration should be the longest part of the process (next to fixation of
> course). The paraffin needs to replace the xylene in the tissue. (hence
> infiltration) Even if you happen to get a section of a poorly infiltrated
> tissue, it will not stain well. After the section is taken it is desecrated
> (xylene) and rehydrated (alcohols: 100% to water). If the xylene has not
> been cleared out of the tissue with paraffin, your stain will show the
> effects of the mixing of xylene and water.
>                 Amos Brooks