We do the soaking at the block stage.  Turn the block face up and put drops
on the areas of cartilage for 5-10 minutes or so.  Try it, if it doesn't
make things behave better, give it a little longer.  The bone areas do not
seem to be affected in any way, other than how it would react to any
moisture soaking.  After we cut the section successfully, we drain as
briefly as possible.  As soon as the water is drained from beneath the
section we put the slide on the hot plate.  If you wait too long, you will
see the cartilage curling up in front of your very eyes.  NOT GOOD!
Anyway, I hope some of this is helpful to someone.



At 04:59 PM 10/21/98 -0700, P. Emry wrote:
>Hi Rebecca,
>
>I have not heard of the am. hydroxide method.  What does this do the the
>bone part of the specimen?  How long do you leave it in it?
>
>Thanks,
>Trisha
>U of Washington
>
>
>
>On Wed, 21 Oct 1998, Rebecca S Smith wrote:
>
>> We find that soaking cartilage areas of the block with 5% ammonium
>> hydroxide does the trick!
>>
>>
>>
>> At 08:53 AM 10/21/98 +0200, Pierre Mainil wrote:
>> >Hello histonetters,
>> >
>> >Another question to cartilage lovers.
>> >What is the best decalcification system.
>> >We observe important variability with Saf O staining although using
>> >cetylpyrimidium.
>> >Has some one ever used EDTA with etylpyrimidium  during the
>> >decalcfication process.
>> >Advice and help appreciated.
>> >
>> >
>> >Pierre Bern
>> >
>> >
>>
>>
>>
>
>