Keep in mind that such "floaters" can be due either to embedding technique
or to sectioning technique.  If the same "floater" appears in two successive
sections, then it was a contaminant in the block at the time of embedding;
but if it appears in only one section it probably got on the slide from the
water bath during sectioning. If the pathologist has only one section on the
slide then it may be impossible to tell where the floater came from, unless
the unwanted bit of tissue can still be seen in the block face.

Cleanliness is the means of preventing both types of contamination. The hot
plate of the embedding unit should be wiped frequently with some sort of
absorbent wipes, especially after handling any specimen which is friable or
which consists of multiple small fragments. And, the surface of the water
bath should likewise be "swept" frequently with a similar absorbent wipe.



> ----------
> From: 	histonet-bounces@lists.utsouthwestern.edu on behalf of Webb,
> Dorothy L
> Sent: 	Tuesday, May 30, 2006 9:04 AM
> To: 	Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu
> Subject: 	[Histonet] floaters
> 
> How does everyone handle their embedding techniques in regard to
> contaminating one tissue with another?  We are doing here what I have
> done at the other lab I worked at and lately the pathologist is seeing a
> few "floaters" on a slide where they shouldn't be!!  Just thought I
> would like to throw this out for discussion and hopefully come away with
> a technique better than ours!!  Thanks, as always!!!
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