The ability to section whole adult mice has been done for years but has been used primarily for tissue biodistribution studies.  Historically, the whole animal is frozen in carboxymethyl cellulose and cryosectioned onto 3M/Scotch tape using a cryomacrotome, such as the Leica CM3600.  This is a very large and expensive instrument, as you can imagine, but it's capable of sectioning 8 micron sections pretty easily.  The sections that are on tape are then used for macro-autoradiography (or more recently, phosphor imaging).  

My group inherited a Leica CM3600, but, since we are a morphologically-based group, it became apparent that we might want to use the instrument for more than biodistribution studies - - possibly histology, immunohistochemistry, micro-autoradiography, gene expression analysis, laser capture microdissection, etc.  In order to combine these techniques (whole-body sectioning with morphologic techniques), we worked with Instrumedics, Inc. to develop a tape-transfer system for the cryomacrotome such that the sections can be transferred to large-format glass slides (up to 5" X 7" for whole rats).  Although it took 2 years to develop, it is currently available for purchase through them (http://www.instrumedics.com).  I will be presenting a poster on this technology at the NSH meeting next month and will gladly send you a copy of the poster, when it's completed.

I hope this is helpful.

Lori Hayes Donnelly
Scientist/Group Head
Investigative Pathology, Drug Safety Metabolism
Wyeth-Ayerst/Genetics Institute, Inc.
Andover, Massachusetts

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Greetings Histonetters,
	Does anyone out there in Histoland have experience with
sectioning of whole mice?[yes, the whole animal - undissected]  Can it
be done?  What's involved?  Details please!  One of the investigators
here is curious and so am I. I'll compile all of the info I receive and
give a summary. Thanks.

Best Regards,
Mary Vaughan HT (ASCP)
Roswell Park Cancer Institute
Elm + Carlton Sts.   CDC-121
Buffalo, NY 14263