Mounting and Labelling Flashcards
Process of using a medium and coverslip to handle, store, and protect the tissue section
Mounting
Ideal coverslip thickness for photomicrography
1.5 (180nm)
Coverslip thickness commonly used for routine purposes
1 (150nm)
Coverslip thickness #2 measuring
210nm
Common coverslip sizes
18x18mm, 22x22mm, 20x20mm, 24x24mm
Refractive index of an ideal mounting medium (close to that of glass)
1.532
Methods of mounting sections
Slide lowered onto coverslip and inverted; Coverslip lowered onto slide
Used to mount water-miscible preparations; prevents drying and cracking
Aqueous mounting media
Components of aqueous mounting media
Gelatin, glycerin jelly, gum arabic, glycerol, sugar, preservative (e.g., merthiolate)
Water-miscible media used for semi-permanent sections
Glycerin
Cheapest aqueous mounting medium
Water
Standard mounting medium for fat stains; refractive index: 1.46
Farrant’s Medium (Gum Arabic Medium)
Aqueous medium for methylene blue-stained nerve preparations; refractive index: 1.44
Apathy’s Medium
Used for mounting frozen sections from water
Brun’s Fluid
Long-term media for dehydrated and xylene-cleared preparations
Resinous mounting media
Transparent, colorless resin that darkens with age; refractive index: 1.524
Canada balsam
Natural resin source of Canada balsam
Abus balsamea (Canadian fir tree)
Resinous medium for small tissue sections; dries rapidly; refractive index: 1.42
DPX
Synthetic resin dissolved in xylene
XAM
Sealing method to prevent fluid evaporation and sticking of slides
Ringing
Ringing medium made of paraffin and colophonium resin
Kronig Cement
Ringing medium made of cellulose adhesives
Durofix/Du Noyer’s
Slide labeling requirements
Year and specimen number for identification
