Brain Embedding Medium

[James Olds]

In article <531 at news.duke.edu> tbd at neuro.duke.edu (Tristan Davies) writes:
>In article <16NOV199120460769 at wccf.mit.edu> karuzis at wccf.mit.edu (GLENN HOLM) writes:
>-->Anyone out there have suggestions for the ideal embedding medium to surround
>-->small, fragile brain specimens prior to cutting on vibratome or freezing
>-->microtome?  I guess the goal is to find something of the hardness and con-
>-->sistency of perfused (4% paraformaldehyde) brain tissue that can be cast as
>-->a block and then sectioned (around 30 microns) to produce easy to handle
>-->free floating sections.  Something on the order of liquid brain.
>
>
>You left out a couple of details:
>1.  Is the tissue you're cutting fixed? with what?
>2. How thick do you want your sections?
>3. Are you only using them for immunocytochemistry?
>
>OK, three details that I can think of.
>
>
I would only add that M1 is the best embedding media as far as I am
concerned for rat and rabbit brains prepared non-fixed for 20um
cryosections. It's made by Harris Inc. I believe.


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* James L. Olds Ph.D.                 Neural Systems Section               *
* domain: olds at helix.nih.gov           NINDS, NIH, Bethesda, MD. 20892 USA *
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