There is no way you will get 1 micron sections off of a paraffin
     block.  That's why people use plastic embedding for thin sections.
     The microtome will advance 1 micron but the paraffin is too soft to
     hold up to this small advance.  It is also just about impossible to
     cut 1 micron frozen sections and they are much harder.  If you want to
     cut at that setting, you need to embed in plastic, and this microtome
     will perform well.


______________________________ Reply Separator
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Subject: Microm Microtome
Author:  "Brody;Juanita X" <Juanita.X.Brody@kp.org> at Internet
Date:    2/26/99 2:34 PM


We purchased a motorized microtome, Zeiss HM355, to cut 1 micron thick
paraffin sections of renal biopsies.   We use low profile blades and have
been unable to cut thin sections as required by the pathologist.   Does any
one have experience cutting thin sections on this microtome?