Sharon & other Histonetters, Cornflaking is literally microscopic air trapped under the coverslip. It doesn't have anything to do with poor dehydration and trapped water. Thus it can be caused by partial drying out before the coverslipping.
The things you need to look at to eradicate the problem is: 1. Keep the slides wet before coverslipping (obviously) 2. Consider increasing the amount of xylene deposited on the slide for tape coverslippers. 3. For glass coverslippers, consider increasing the xylene and increasing or changing the mounting media. Cornflaking tends to happen more on slides/sections with rough "topography" on the section (the more rough it is, the more nooks & crannies to trap the air). So anything that would give the section a more rough surface would increase the tendency to cornflake; such as: section lifting. section thickness, even chatter in the sections. Think about things that would affect the section - for example, are you using a different brand of blade on the microtome? Hope this helps, Beth Cox, HTL/SCT(ASCP)QIHC Message: 15 Date: Thu, 13 Mar 2014 11:59:06 -0400 From: sris...@mail.holyname.org Subject: Re: [Histonet] RE: Cornflaking artifact To: "HERRINGTON, SHEILA" <sheila.herring...@interiorhealth.ca> Cc: "histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu" <histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu>, Sharon Scalise <sscal...@beaumont.edu>, histonet-boun...@lists.utsouthwestern.edu, 'Laurie Colbert' <lcolb...@pathmdlabs.com> Message-ID: < of46844f54.2f7fc911-on85257c9a.00575cb9-85257c9a.0057c...@holyname.org> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" We had this problem several years ago. We were using the sakura tapes with the coverslipper. We did the following: Last three alcohols were changes frequently. Slides should be not dry when loading on coverslipper. If you could load two racks at a time, only load one. By this way the slides in the second rack will not dry out. Finally, change the tapes from sakura to Mercedes Medical tapes. Mala Nirmala Srishan Holy Name Medical Center From: "HERRINGTON, SHEILA" <sheila.herring...@interiorhealth.ca> To: 'Laurie Colbert' <lcolb...@pathmdlabs.com>, Sharon Scalise <sscal...@beaumont.edu>, "histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu" <histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu> Date: 03/13/2014 11:43 AM Subject: [Histonet] RE: Cornflaking artifact Sent by: histonet-boun...@lists.utsouthwestern.edu We also have recently started to see this artifact more than ever before, and nothing in our process has changed. We have tried everything to correct to no avail. Wonder if it is possible to be a change in some type of supply, either xylene or coverslipping film. Something has changed but am at a loss as to what. Sheila Herrington Technical Lead Histopathology and Immunohistochemistry Kelowna General Hospital 2268 Pandosy Street, Kelowna, B.C. V1Y 1T2 250-862-4300 ext 7587 or 7510 sheila.herring...@interiorhealth.ca -----Original Message----- From: histonet-boun...@lists.utsouthwestern.edu [ mailto:histonet-boun...@lists.utsouthwestern.edu<histonet-boun...@lists.utsouthwestern.edu>] On Behalf Of Laurie Colbert Sent: Thursday, March 13, 2014 6:30 AM To: Sharon Scalise; histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu Subject: [Histonet] RE: Cornflaking artifact You will also see the cornflaking if your tissue is lifting off of the slide at all. We used to get this more often on hard, decal specimens than on other specimens. We used the film to coverslip. If you remove the film from the problem slides and recoverslip conventionally with extra mountant and glass coverslips, I'm sure you will not see the artifact. Laurie Colbert -----Original Message----- From: histonet-boun...@lists.utsouthwestern.edu [ mailto:histonet-boun...@lists.utsouthwestern.edu<histonet-boun...@lists.utsouthwestern.edu>] On Behalf Of Sharon Scalise Sent: Wednesday, March 12, 2014 8:00 PM To: histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu Subject: [Histonet] RE: Cornflaking artifact I am looking for help with "cornflaking" (tiny, brown dry spots under coverslip)artifact. We have been using fresh xylene on our stainer and coverslipper, cleaned and wiped all containers dry before filling, tried different lots of coverslipping film and had service on our coverslipper to make sure it was functioning properly, including the xylene drip. We continue to have this artifact and it is driving us crazy. It is sporadic with no pattern of tissue type or placement on the slide. Sometimes it lands on tissue other times not. Most of the time when we remove the coverslip and re-coverslip it goes away (I am assuming because the acetone removes any minute amounts of water that may be present). We just cannot figure out where the water is coming from. Has anyone seen this artifact while using the drying step on the prisma stainer? We just recently started using the drying on some slides and I am thinking maybe it is causing humidity??? I cannot say for a fact that our "cornflaking" started at the same time, but it is suspicious. HELP!!!!! _______________________________________________ Histonet mailing list Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet