MTAP (Microtomy- Flotation) Flashcards

1
Q

The process of cutting very thin tissue sections using a microtome

A

Microtomy

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

5 Basic Types of Microtomes

A
  1. Rocking Microtome (Cambridge)
  2. Rotary Microtome (Minot Rotary)
  3. Sliding Microtome (obsolete type)
    - Base Sledge Microtome (type of sliding microtome)
  4. Freezing Microtome
  5. Vibrating Microtome
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

Who invented rocking microtome?

A

Paldwell Trefall

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

Oldest in design, cheap, simple, and extremely reliable. Requires very minimal maintenance

A

Rocking Microtome

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

Mechanism of action: Knife is fixed, while the tissue block moves. Tissue moves in an arc to strike the knife, between strokes, the block is moved towards the knife by a ratchet-operated micrometer thread

Steady backward and forward movement creates ribbons of good sections

A

Rocking Microtome

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

Blade moves, not the tissue, that is why its dangerous. It is also very heavy

A

Rocking Microtome

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

Invented by Professor Minot

A

Rotary Microtome

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Designed for cutting large tissue blocks (e.g., whole brains)

A

Base Sledge Microtome

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

Rotary Microtome is also called?

A

Minot Rotary

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

Mechanism of action: Knife is horizontal and fixed. Tissue block slides backward and forward on a steel carriage

A

Base Sledge Microtome

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

Most commonly used microtome for paraffin-embedded tissues

A

Rotary Microtome

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

Mechanism of Action: Handwheel rotates 360°, specimen moves vertically past the knife. Micrometer screw advances the tissue block for precise, flat sections

A

Rotary Microtome

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

Designed for celloidin-embedded tissue blocks
and can also be used for paraffin-embedded sections

A

Sliding Microtome

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Commonly used in neuropathology & ophthalmic pathology

A

Base Sledge Microtome

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Advantages of Base Sledge Microtome

A

➔ Heavy and stable → No vibration
➔ Large wedge-shaped knife (24 cm) → Less vibration
➔ Adjustable knife-holding clamps allow angle adjustments

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

Mechanism of action: Knife/blade is stationary. Specimen slides under the knife during sectioning

A

Sliding Microtome

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

Disadvantages of Sliding Microtome

A

Very large consumes the entire bench table

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

This microtome is Obsolete

A

Sliding Microtome

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

Best for cutting frozen sections

A

Freezing microtome

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

Machine is clamped to the edge of a bench and connected to a CO₂ cylinder. Equipped with a knife freezing attachment

A

Freezing microtome

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

In a freezing microtome, this is used to freeze tissue

A

CO₂ gas

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

Mechanism of action: CO₂ gas is used to freeze tissue. Knife edge is cooled by CO₂ to prevent thawing. Sections transferred directly from knife to slides

A

Freezing microtome

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

Freezing Microtome – Section Thickness Gauge

A

Graduated in 5 µm units instead of 1 µm

24
Q

Used for cutting unfixed, unprocessed, or unfrozen tissue

A

Vibrating Microtome

25
Commonly used in **enzyme histochemistry & ultrastructural histochemistry**
Vibrating Microtome
26
Mechanism of action: Tissue is immersed in water, saline, or fixative. Cut using a vibrating razor blade. Very slow cutting speed to prevent tissue disintegration
Vibrating microtome
27
Designed for specific types of microtomes and is used based on tissue hardness & embedding medium
Microtome Knives
28
Microtome knife material used for paraffin wax-embedded tissue
Steel
29
Microtome knife material used for resin-embedded tissue
Glass
30
Identify: ➔ Usually 25 mm length ➔ Flat on one side, concave on the other ➔ For cutting **celloidin-embedded** tissue blocks on a sliding microtome
Plane-Concave knife
31
Identify: ➔ Usually 100 mm length ➔ Both sides straight ➔ Best for **frozen sections & hard specimens** (used with base sledge or sliding microtome)
Plane-Wedge Knife
32
Identify: ➔ usually 120 mm length ➔ Both sides concave ➔ Recommended for **paraffin-embedded tissue using a rotary microtome**
Biconcave knife
33
Identify: ➔ Used for specialized applications
Tool Edge (D-Profile) Knife
34
Used for routine microtomy & cryotomy
Disposable blades
35
Used for sharp cutting edge for flawless **2-4 µm** sections
Disposable blades
36
Disposable Blade Holders are integrated into the ____ or attached via an ______
microtome; adapter
37
Section Thickness for Lymph Nodes
0.5 – 2 mm
38
Used in ***electron* microscopy** and for plastic **resin-embedded** blocks
Glass & Diamond Knives
39
Angle between **block surface & *lower* bevel** of the knife
Clearance Angle
40
Angle between **upper bevel** & a **line perpendicular** to the block surface
Rake Angle
41
Removes irregularities from knife edges and uses abrasive stones
Honing
42
List the honing stones:
- Belgian black vein - Arkansas stone - Aloxite - Carborundum-composites; used in households
43
This is used for hand sharpening, cheap & easily available, roughened surface allows abrasive particles to adhere, and easily cleaned
Glass Plates for Knife Sharpening
44
Automatic knife sharpening machines. Expensive, superior properties
Copper and bronze plates
45
Process of polishing an already fairly sharp edge.
Polishing (STROPPING)
46
Types of Strop
Flexible (hanging) or Rigid
47
Best strops are made from?
hide from the rump of the horse marked **'shell horse'**
48
Back of the strop is made of canvas and is intended to support the leather during stropping.
Flexible type
49
In a flexible type, strops should be kept soft by applying a small quantity of __________ into the back of the leather
vegetable oil
50
Thermostatically controlled water baths for floating out tissue ribbons after sectioning. And used to remove the creases and flatten the sections.
Floatation (water bath)
51
Temperature of water in the bath should be _______ below the melting point of paraffin employed.
10 degrees Celsius
52
In floatation, ___________ may be used to prevent water bubbles from being trapped under the sections.
distilled water
53
This is added to the water in the water bath to **reduce the surface tension** and to **flatten out** the section with ease
Alcohol or a small drop of detergent
54
True or False: the temperature of the water bath should be greater than melting point of paraffin wax
FALSE. It should **NOT** be greater than melting point of paraffin wax
55
This should be lubricated with soapy water or light oil during use
Honing using slabs of stone