Hi Virgina,

   Have you looked on my website.  I have several articles in the journal
   of  histotechnology and some instructional videos on the same subjects
   that go into detail on the subject of array construction.

   My website is www.arrayworkshop.com

   1.  What  I do is place the array block on a slide face down.  Be sure
   to  put  the slide on it before you flip the block over.  Just in case
   some  of  the  cores  fall out of the block depending on how loose the
   cores are.

   2. Put the block ans slide (slide down) in an oven at approx. 37-40 'C
   for 15 to 20 minutes.

   3.  Press  the  slide  and  block  together.  You will notice that the
   paraffin  will  melt  a  little  and  the  paraffin  will  spread  out
   slightly.   This is good, because this is how the punches set into the
   block.

   4.  DO  NOT  seperate  the  slide  and block at this time.  Place then
   together  on  an  ice tray and allow to cool.  The slide will seperate
   easily once they are cold.

   5.  Before  cutting, trim the sides a little to make them straight and
   flat.  This will help the ribboning to go smoother with flat edges.

   6.   Do  not soak the block in ice water.  I have found that ice water
   makes  the punches swell thus making the tissue mushey.  Use only Ice.
   If  you  feel  you  might  get a better cut with water only soak for a
   minute or so.

   7.   Use  a fresh blade to make a ribbon.  I even knock down the blade
   with  a Kim wipe to help the cutting go quickly.  Running the kim wipe
   across  a  new blade removes oils also.  You will find  the knife make
   ribbons right away.

   The rest is normal histology techniques.  Lay the ribbons on the water
   bath, etc...


   If you have any more questions please feel free to email me.
   Thom Jensen

   HT (ASCP) / Array Technician




   >From: "Achstetter, Virginia A." 
   >To: 
   >Subject: [Histonet] (no subject)
   >Date: Tue, 5 Oct 2004 13:45:11 -0400
   >
   >Does  anyone  have  a good protocol for cutting Microarray blocks?  I
   understand that there are different methods of sealing the block cores
   so they stay put when sectioning.
   >
   >Ginny Achstetter HT (ASCP)
   >Armed Forces Institute of Pathology
   >Soft Tissue Pathology
   >6825 16th St. NW
   >Bldg 54 Rm. 3062
   >Washington, DC 20306
   >Fax: 202-782-9182
   >Phone: 202-782-1914
   >
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References

   1. http://g.msn.com/8HMAENUS/2740??PS=47575
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