I do have experience with thick rat and mouse brain sections however, it is
at a lower range of 15 to 20u.  Is he cutting for cytoarchiectonics?  We did
those at the range above.  The 40u will curl and break most of the time.  I
placed them directly in a drop of fluid (our own Mayers Albumin dilution) on
a hot plate at about 40 degrees C.  This allowed them to spread and flatten
immediately.  We then drained and flattened the sections.  The thicker
section were cut and handled one at a  a time .  I would be happy to go
through the procedure with him if he can e-mail or call me.  Pam Marcum
800-523-2575 ext 134

-----Original Message-----
From: Maureen Decorah [mailto:decorah@rarc.wisc.edu]
Sent: Thursday, March 23, 2000 1:21 PM
To: HISTONET
Subject: 40 micron sections


Received this question but I don't have any experience cutting this thick.
Does anyone have suggestions for him?



 I am trying to cut 40 micron sections of brain tissue (mouse)
>embedded in paraffin.  The sections don't come off the knife well and if I
>do get them they crack later.  I seem to be able to get 5 micron sections
>from the same block ok.  Is it possible to get 40 micron sections and if so
>are there any "tricks" to doing it?  Thanks again for your help.
>



	~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
	Maureen Decorah, Research Animal Resources Center
	385A Enzyme Institute, 1710 University Avenue
	University of Wisconsin - Madison, Madison, WI 53705-4098
	(608) 262-0933  Fax(608) 265-2698  E-mail: decorah@rarc.wisc.edu
	~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~