Re: Steamers for IHC HIER

<< Previous Message | Next Message >>
From:"J. A. Kiernan" <jkiernan@julian.uwo.ca> (by way of histonet)
To:histonet <histonet@magicnet.net>
Reply-To:
Content-Type:text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

On Tue, 27 Oct 1998, Sarah A. Jones wrote:
>                                                        ... The rep
> called us yesterday and told us that the CAP had just issued a new
> regulation stating that steamers could no longer be used for heat
> induced epitope retreival (HIER).
>              .... getting the information
> for us, as well as the substitute method; but I have yet to see any
> documentation.

 Some salesman, overly greedy for his commission, is trying to
 frighten you into buying something expensive. If he claims to
 be from a reputable company, call their free 800 number and
 ask to speak to someone in authority, or send a snail mail
 letter to the Managing Director, and a copy to somebody senior
 in your own institution. Do not be intimidated. Heat is heat
 and in the presence of water it will "retrieve epitopes"
 however it is applied, subject to certain antigen-dependent
 idiosyncrasies of pH etc.

 If something as simple as a rice steamer or pressure cooker
 is adequate for the work you are doing, go on using it.
 When you are asked to do things that need more expensive
 equipment, ask your boss if it's really needed, and then
 invite several suppliers to give quotations. Tell them all
 that they are competing with their rivals. If you can get the
 same thing from a non-laboratory source it may well be much
 cheaper. Remember all those $1000 lavatory seats sold to
 the U.S. army?


 John A. Kiernan,
 Department of Anatomy & Cell Biology,
 The University of Western Ontario,
 LONDON,  Canada  N6A 5C1
   E-mail: kiernan@uwo.ca




<< Previous Message | Next Message >>