Publications

ABSTRACT Use of Quickfix, a resinous product easily available in the market for cementing glassware, plastic, Bakelite etc., was used with amylacetate as a solvent for preparation of mounting medium. Three parts of Quickfix and 2 parts of amylacetate were mixed thoroughly with a glass rod. Amylacetate was added slowly to Quickfix. After mixing, the medium was left standing to eliminate air bubbles. Stained paraffin sections were cleared in amylacetate, covered with a sufficient quantity of the medium and mounted with a cover slip, before drying could occur. Sections were kept in the oven to dry for few hours at 37o C. QAA (Quickfix-amyl acetate) has been identified as a cost effective, reliable alternative mountant. Key Words: Quick fix, Amyl acetate, Mounting medium INTRODUCTION Numerous experiments have been made with resins and plastics in search of a more acceptable mounting medium. Mounting media which have a refractive index similar to that of glass slides (1.5 - 1.52) are generally used to match that of the tissue components for maximum transparency. (1) Synthetic resins are quite neutral such that the basic aniline dyes are well preserved in them. The resins differ importantly in refractive index, rate of setting, drying to a non adhesive state degree of residual unsaturation, solubility in solvents, viscosity of solutions, rate of drying and in tendency to form air bubbles in mounts. Invariably plasticizers are added to combat air bubbles formed, however they tend to retard to non stickiness by addition of plasticizer. (2) Quickfix adhesive resinous product easily available has been in use in histology as a mountant for quite some time. (3-5) Amylacetate is an isomer used as solvent in many pharmaceutical industries. Considering the availability and cost effectiveness of the products the present study was carried to prove that the QAAqucikfix-amyl acetate is an alternate mounting medium that can be used for routine histology slide preparation