Figure 3.

Generation of Semithick Sections by Precuring and Elevated-Temperature Microtomy

(A) Comparison of resin performance for semithick sections of mouse cortex tissue. BSD images were acquired of 2 (top) and 5 μm (bottom) semithick sections of epon and LX112 blocks cured for 48 or 10 h and sectioned at room temperature or at 40°C. Left to right: epon cured for 48 h, sectioned at 24°C; LX112 cured for 48 h, sectioned at 24°C; LX112 cured for 10 h, sectioned at 24°C; LX112 cured for 48 h, sectioned at 40°C. Scale bar, 5 μm. Arrowheads indicate major (filled) and minor (hollow) tissue cracks.

(B) Photographs of infrared lights installed at the sides of the microtome sample arm to warm the sample during semithick sectioning (left). The heated diamond knife is depicted with a lower heater and the upper sensor sticks and the temperature control (right). he, heating element; ir, infrared light; sa, sample arm; ta, tape; tac, tape collector; tec, temperature control; ts, temperature sensor.

See Figure S2 for details on the heated diamond knife construction.