>From: LeeDMLM@aol.com
>Date: Thu, 4 Mar 1999 11:56:36 EST
>To: ian.montgomery@bio.gla.ac.uk
>Mime-Version: 1.0
>Subject: Re: 1µm sections.
>
>Ian
>
>There are several reasons why renal pathologists want 1 micron sections with
>high resolution.  Especially on the silver stain they can see deposits, which
>side of the basement membrane they are located, fine breaks in basement
>membranes, etc. Thicker sections will not have the resolution to see these
>things.   Many things seen on the light level and interpreted with LM alone
>may be different on the EM.  This is why it is standard procedure to look at
>all renal biopsies on EM except for transplant cases where rejection can be
>interpreted on the LM.   If it is shown not to be rejection, they will then
>look at it on EM.  There are also cytological changes which are important in
>making a proper diagnosis which can not be seen on LM.
>
>Lee Dickey
>

Lee,
	I readily accept diagnoses at EM and semithin level. EM is standard
and a well stained,epoxy embedded, semi thin section must be invaluable for
diagnosis.
	1µm wax sections, don't know that I believe wax will cut
reproducibly at this thickness. Even Ester wax embedded specimens gave
dubious results. High resolution at the light level. The microscope will
manage but can the specimen after fixation, dehydration and embedding.
Alright, you'll push the technician to the limit trying for the 1µm section
and I grant, out of focus fuzz will degrade the final resolvable image, but
by how much in a section of 1-3µm. Then finally, you have the pathologist,
how are his eyes. When he was young he could manage 0.1mm, what now.
Ian.

Dr. Ian Montgomery,
West Medical Building,
University of Glasgow,
Glasgow,
G12 8QQ,
Scotland.
Tel: 0141 339 8855 Extn. 6602.
Fax: 0141 330 4100.
e-mail: ian.montgomery@bio.gla.ac.uk