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Histology

Histology section

The Imaging Facility has all the tools required for standard histological techniques including a wax embedding station and microtome, a cryostat for sectioning frozen tissue and a vibratome for cutting thicker sections. Tissue sections labelled with colour contrast agents can be imaged using the Facility's Nikon Ti2 widefield microscope.  Tissue sections labelled using fluorescence immunohistochemistry can be imaged on any of the Facility's widefield or confocal systems.  For higher throughput imaging the Facility has a fully automated Zeiss Axioscan 7 slide scanner, which can image up to 100 slides using brightfield and/or fluorescence.

The Facility has very limited capacity to provide histology services, but full training on all of the equipment is available, with expert assistance on-hand to support inexperienced users.

Cryostat

Leica CM3050 S Cryostat

Section thickness range: 0.5 - 300 µm, but the optimal tissue thickness range is: 6 - 30 µm

Horizontal specimen feed: 25mm +1 mm, Vertical specimen stroke: 59 mm ± 0.5 mm

Maximum specimen size: 40 mm x 55 mm

Specimen orientation: ±8 ° (x-, y-axis)

Section speed: slow: 0.1 mm to 100 mm/sec; fast: 0.1 mm to 170 mm/sec; maximum: 210 mm/sec

Sectioning modes: manual or motorized (intermittent, continuous or single stroke)

Cryochamber temperature range: 0 °C to -40 °C, Specimen temperature range: 0 °C to -50 °C

Leica HistoCore MULTICUT Microtome

Section thickness setting range: 0.5 - 100 µm

Trimming section thickness setting range: 1 - 600 µm

Specimen feed: Approx. 24 mm ±1 mm

Vertical stroke: 70 mm ±1 mm

Maximum specimen size (HxWxD): Large standard clamp: 55 x 50 x 30 mm; Super Cassette clamp: 68 x 48 x 15 mm

Specimen retraction: 5 - 100 µm in 5 µm increments

Slow forward and backward speed: 300 µm/s

Fast forward speed: 800 µm/s

Fast backward speed (fast homing): 1800 µm/s

horizontal / vertical rotation: ± 8°/ ± 8°

Microtome
Wax embedder

Solmedia MPS P1 Wax Embedding Station

Up to 80 °C for paraffin container

Up to 80 °C for cassette/mould storage containers

Up to 80 °C for working area

Down to -5 °C for cooling spot

Paraffin Container 3.8 litres

Cooling Spot 50 x 50 mm, Peltier

Forceps Holder 2 x 3 magnetic, adjustable

Paraffin Flow Activation manually or by footswitch

Adjustable paraffin flow rate

Work Area 450 x 240 mm

Leica VT1000S Vibratome 

Section thickness range 0.5 µm to 700 µm, but the optimal tissue thickness range is 50 - 500 µm

5 different amplitude settings:  0.2 - 1 mm

Maximum specimen size: 70 x 40 x 15 mm

Total vertical specimen stroke: 15 mm

Speed range: 0.025 - 2.5 mm

Frequency: 0 - 100 Hz

Sectioning speed options: single and continuous stroke

Temperature: 5 - 30 °C  (water ice can be used to keep the temperature of the buffer tray where the specimen is glued)

Motorized blade holder adjustable between: 0.01 to 1.5 mm/sec

Vibratome