Can you trust your cryostat? Reproducibility of cryostat section thickness

Microsc Res Tech. 2006 Oct;69(10):835-8. doi: 10.1002/jemt.20354.

Abstract

Reproducibility of cryostat section thickness is required for valid quantitative microscopy. This is generally pursued by motorized sectioning using a low but constant speed. The purpose of our study was to compare variation in section thickness between motorized and manual cryostat sectioning. Serial sections were cut from a frozen block of homogenized tissue on different days. Lactate dehydrogenase activity was histochemically detected and calibrated absorbance measurements were taken. The coefficients of variation of measurements was 9.7% for motorized sectioning and 3.3% for manual sectioning. In conclusion, section thickness is similarly reproducible after manual sectioning compared with motorized sectioning, if not better.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Evaluation Study

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Automation / standards
  • Cryoultramicrotomy / standards*
  • L-Lactate Dehydrogenase / analysis
  • Liver / cytology
  • Rats
  • Reproducibility of Results

Substances

  • L-Lactate Dehydrogenase