The key instrument for cryosection is the cryostat, which is essentially a microtome inside a freezer. The microtome can be compared to a very accurate "deli" slicer, capable of slicing<unk> s as thin as 1 micrometre. The usual histology slice is cut at 5 to 10 micrometres. The surgical specimen is placed on a metal tissue disc which is then secured in a chuck and<unk>  rapidly to about –20 to –30 °C. The specimen is embedded in a gel like medium called OCT and consisting of polyethylene glycol and polyvinyl alcohol; this compound is known by many names and when<unk>  has the same density as<unk>  tissue. At this temperature, most tissues become rock-hard. Usually a lower temperature is required for fat or lipid rich tissue. Each tissue has a preferred temperature for processing. Subsequently it is cut<unk>  with the microtome portion of the cryostat, the<unk>  is picked up on a glass slide and stained (usually with hematoxylin and eosin, the H&E stain). The preparation of the sample is much more rapid than with traditional histology technique (around 10 minutes vs 16 hours). However, the technical quality of the<unk> s is much lower. The entire laboratory can occupy a space less than , and minimal ventilation is required compared to a standard wax embedded specimen laboratory.
Frozen section procedure
Semen collection
LGBT reproduction
Lineage markers
OpenEMR
Microstaging
Oncogenomics
Sperm sorting