RE: Inforamtion on cutting hard tissues

From:"Frank, John D." <john_frank@merck.com>

Contact Linda Jenkins at jlinda@ces.clemson.edu. She is the chair of the
Hard Tissue Committee for the National Society for Histotechnology and might
have some ideas for you.

John

John D. Frank
Merck Research Laboratories
WP45-251
PO Box 4
West Point, PA 19486

215-652-5379
215-652-7758 (fax)
john_frank@merck.com

> ----------
> From: 	Kimcatk@aol.com[SMTP:Kimcatk@aol.com]
> Sent: 	Tuesday, November 14, 2000 1:25 PM
> To: 	ssharma@watsonpharm.com; histonet@pathology.swmed.edu
> Subject: 	Re: Inforamtion on cutting hard tissues
> 
> Dear Sharma,
>      I think there is a hard tissue subgroup of HistoNet that may have
> ideas 
> to rescue you.  Is this correct, HistoNetters?  Also, I have heard reports
> of 
> histologists doing plastic sectioning for large pieces of undecalcified
> hard 
> tissue.
>      We frequently get animal digits, particularly canine, and have to 
> section the nail.  Of course, this is substantially smaller than a hoof,
> but 
> the material is similar.  On the off chance that this might help you, I
> will 
> tell you how we handle our hard tissues.  For any bone or nail specimens
> we 
> receive, we decalcify the specimen by soaking it in at least a 10:1 ratio
> of 
> 5% nitric acid to specimen volume.  We change the solution daily and 
> decalcify for several hours to as long as 2 weeks depending on the tissue.
> 
> Removing any unnecessary tissue is helpful for penetration.  After the
> tissue 
> feels soft, we paraffin process it.
>      After processing and embedding, if the sample is still too hard to
> cut 
> well, we face the block and soak the surface of the block on a gauze
> sponge 
> soaked in 5% nitric acid solution in a closed container for several
> minutes.  
> I then switch to a thick microtome blade and if I cut slowly and
> carefully, I 
> can usually get several good sections.  Using charged slides is usually 
> necessary for the section to remain adhered to the slide during the
> staining 
> process.
>      Good luck hoofing it!
> 
> Kim Atkin
> 
> Histology Laboratory Supervisor
> Angell Memorial Animal Hospital
> 350 South Huntington Avenue
> Boston, MA 02130
> 
> 
> Inforamtion on cutting hard tissues
> From: ssharma@watsonpharm.com 
> 
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------
> ----
> 
> --
> 
> Hello everybody,
> 
> As part of ongoing research at our company I was trying to cut uniform
> cross
> sections of bovine hooves across the horizontal plane. We recently bought
> a 
> new
> sliding microtome (HM 440E, Carl Zeiss, Inc.) and were using it with a
> Tungsten-carbide knife.  Unfortunately the tissue is much harder than what
> we
> expected and we were unsucessful. I was wondering if anyone out there had
> a
> similar experience with this kind of material or with some other hard 
> material.
> I would be grateful if someone could give me tips about any how to cut
> hard
> materials or inform me of any softening methods used for hard keratinous
> materials.
> 
> I am new to the process of microtomy and also a new addition to this list.
> 
> Thanks for your time.
> 
> Sanjay Sharma
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 



<< Previous Message | Next Message >>