The Cutting and Floating Method for Paraffin-embedded Tissue for Sectioning

Abstract

Sectioning of the paraffin-embedded tissue is widely used in histology and pathology. However, it is tedious. To improve this method, several commercial companies have devised complex section transfer systems using fluid water. To simplify this technology, we created a simple method using homemade equipment that combines cutting and floating within a simple thermostatic chamber; therefore, the sections automatically enter the water bath on the water surface. The hippocampus from adult mouse brains, adult mouse kidneys, embryonic mouse brains, and adult zebrafish eyes were cut using both conventional paraffin sectioning and the presented method for comparison. Statistical analysis shows that our improved method saved time and produced higher quality sections. In addition, paraffin sectioning of a whole specimen in a short time is easy for junior operators.