Re: spurr
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From: | "R.Wadley" <s9803537@pop3.unsw.edu.au> |
To: | histonet@Pathology.swmed.edu |
Reply-To: | |
Date: | Thu, 18 Mar 1999 08:50:12 +1000 |
Content-Type: | text/plain; charset="us-ascii" |
I think you may have some problems here. I can understand the use of
Spurr's resin, it does have a very low viscosity, I prefer Epon 812, it is
slightly less toxic to the operator & I'll trade that off with a slight
increase in viscosity any day.
However, just how big is a "large block"? Spurr's, & in fact most epoxy
resins tend to be rather brittle, this is OK for EM work where a maximal
section size may be maximally ~3 mm per side. Epoxy resins can be cut
using either solid or disposable microtome blades, but you are going to get
a lot of chattering & shattered sections.
Your best hope is to cut sections with a hand or powered saw about 1 - 2
mm in thickness, & use a polishing technique as in lapidary (possibly also
dentistry). So grind & polish the face of the block so that the specimen
is exposed, cut off a thin slice. Bond the polished face to a slide (If
this is done before cutting it may prevent cracking of the slice), & then
grind & polish the rough side down to an appropriate thickness.
Please not this is a hazardous operation, resin dust is just as toxic as
the unpolymerised components, & possible more hazardous if you consider the
effects the dust on the lung.
Hope this is more helpful than depressing.
Regards
Rob W.
At 10:09 AM 3/17/99 -0500, you wrote:
>I am going to be cutting some large blocks of undecalcified
>bone containing an implant. The specimens are embedded in
>Spurr resin because the methacrylates will dissolve the
>implant. Does anyone have any experience with this type of
>thing? I can only find references for using Spurr for EM work
>and cutting them on an ultramicrotome. I will be using a
>Polycut E to cut the blocks. Thanks in advance for any
>assistance.
R. Wadley, B.App.Sc, M.L.S
Laboratory Manager
Cellular Analysis Facility
School of Microbiology & Immunology
UNSW, New South Wales, Australia, 2052
Ph (BH) +61 (2) 9385 3517
Ph (AH) +61 (2) 9555 1239
Fax +61 (2) 9385 1591
E-mail r.wadley@unsw.edu.au
www http://www.unsw.edu.au/clients/microbiology/CAF.html
(Under development)
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