Slice Mounting
Slice Mounting - Related Videos
08:00
Whole-Mount In Situ Hybridization
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2023
Whole-mount in situ hybridization (WMISH) is a common technique used for visualizing the location of expressed RNAs in embryos. In this process, synthetically produced RNA probes are first complementarily bound, or "hybridized," to the transcripts of target genes. Immunohistochemistry or fluorescence is then used to detect these RNA hybrids, revealing spatial and temporal patterns of gene expression. Unlike traditional in situ hybridization techniques, which require thin tissue sections whose...
08:20
Organotypic Hippocampal Slice Cultures
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Cited by 52 •
2011
We describe a method to prepare organotypic hippocampal slices that can be easily adapted to other brain regions. Brain slices are laid on porous membranes and culture media is allowed to form an interface. This method preserves the gross architecture of the hippocampus for up to 2 weeks in culture.
08:12
Thin Sectioning of Slice Preparations for Immunohistochemistry
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Cited by 7 •
2007
The present method allows reproducible cryostat sectioning of small, difficult-to-manage, tissue pieces, such as biopsies and brain slices. We utilize a simple aluminum freezing stage to facilitate handling of tissue and a standard cryostat to routinely produce 5-10 micron serial sections from 400 micron thick brain slices.
05:02
Cerebellum Dissection and Slice Preparation: A Method to Generate Tissue Slices from Mouse Cerebellum
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2025
This video describes a method to generate tissue slices from the mouse cerebellum. The cerebellar slices can be used for organotypic culturing that provides insights into neurodevelopmental mechanisms, including myelination dynamics.
09:42
Quantitative Whole-mount Immunofluorescence Analysis of Cardiac Progenitor Populations in Mouse Embryos
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Cited by 4 •
2017
Here, we describe a protocol for whole mount immunofluorescence and image-based quantitative volumetric analysis of early stage mouse embryos. We present this technique as a powerful approach to qualitatively and quantitatively assess cardiac structures during development, and propose that it may be widely adaptable to other organ systems.
FAQs
Orientation preserves anatomical relationships within brain or spinal cord sections, allowing researchers to interpret cell bodies, fiber tracts, and lesion boundaries in their proper spatial context. A consistently oriented slice also supports comparisons among experimental samples, because structures appear in comparable positions during microscopic analysis rather than reflecting differences caused by handling.
The mounting medium spreads beneath the tissue and then dries or cures, helping secure the section against movement during microscopy. Even coverage is important because inadequate support can contribute to folds, tears, or shifting. Stable positioning is especially relevant when subsequent staining or fluorescence imaging requires clear, undistorted visualization of neural structures.
Folds, tears, and movement can obscure anatomical features and reduce the reliability of image-based observations. These defects may make cell bodies, fiber tracts, or lesion boundaries harder to evaluate and can complicate quantitative analysis. Careful transfer, orientation, and securing of the slice therefore protect tissue integrity and improve consistency across samples.
A typical workflow transfers the thin brain or spinal cord section onto a microscope slide or specialized support, positions it to preserve anatomical relationships, and allows the mounting medium to spread beneath the tissue. The section is then secured as the medium dries or cures. Careful handling throughout helps minimize folds, tears, and movement.
Consistent mounting keeps neural sections sufficiently intact and stable for downstream visualization methods. This supports immunohistochemistry, Nissl staining, and fluorescence imaging by reducing physical distortions that could interfere with viewing tissue features. The resulting preparations can be examined for cell bodies, fiber tracts, lesion boundaries, and other structures relevant to nervous-system organization and disease.
Well-mounted sections enable microscopic and quantitative analysis of nervous-system organization, including the distribution of cell bodies, the appearance of fiber tracts, and the boundaries of lesions. Because consistent technique improves image quality and supports reliable comparisons across samples, mounting contributes to studies of normal neural anatomy as well as disease-related structural changes.