Microtechnique

Lecture 6
Dr. Esam Qnais
Hashemite University
 Mounting of Sections

-Most common mountants are Canada balsam (which

may be neutral or acidic) and DPX.

- After the sections have been mounted, the slides

should be transferred to the 37C incubator for 12-24 h
in order to harden the mounting medium.
 Mounting Media
1- Aqueous mountants: These media are water miscible and
could be used as temporary or permanent preparations.
There formula consist of a solidfying agent such as
gelatin or Arabic gum, glycerol (to prevent drying or
cracking) and preservative.

A- Water for temporary preparations

B- Glycerin jelly for permanent preparations as fungi

and protozoans.
To the durability of these preparations a solution of
nail vanish may applied around the margins of a
coverslip.
2- Resinous mountants: The most important of natural resins is
Canada balsam and the synthetic one is DPX.

Canada balsam:
1- obtained from stems of Abies balsamea trees
2- the refractive index is 1.52
3- could be neutral or acid balsam
4- dissolves in xylene and toluene to form a fairly thin solution
5- colorless
6- dont form cracks or granules with time.

DPX mountant:
1- Consists of Distrene, Dibutylphthalate and xylene
2- the refractive index is 1.52
3- dissolves in xylene
4- Dried rapidly
 Labeling and storage of slides
1- After the slides have been mounted and dried, they should be cleaned to
remove excess pigments and mountants.
To do that use a blade and not a piece of cotton soaked with xylene.

2- Clean with soap solution and running water and dry with tissue paper.

3- Label correctly
Tissue type, staining method, fixative, X.S or L.S, date.
(this for biological preparation not medical)

4- Store in slide trays or boxes

Slides boxes