Enhancement Questions – MOUNTING_LABELLING
1. Enumerate the difficulties encountered during mounting.
- According to the book, the following are the difficulties encountered during the process:
a. If an unmounted stained section is seen in the microscope, differences in light refraction
between the glass slides and the tissue components, may lead to difference in length dispersion;
hence, very little microscopic detail can usually be appreciated.
b. Excessive mounting medium will cause it to ooze out of the sides of the cover glass, and should
be carefully wiped with a fine cloth moistened with xylene.
c. Excessive blotting will dry up the section, causing shrinkage and cracking of the specimen.
d. Excess xylene, if not removed, will mix with the mountant and form bubbles on the slide.
e. Too little mounting medium may also cause improper setting of the coverslip or formation of
bubbles on the section, which can be teased out by gently pressing on the cover glass with a
pointed forceps or mounting needle.
2. What is ringing?
- According to the book, Ringing is the process of sealing the margins of the coverslip. This step
is optional but this is done to keep the coverslip in place which can prevent the escape of mounting
medium from the coverslip, avoid evaporation of mountant, and prevent sticking of the slides upon
storage. Examples of ringing mediums are Kronig Cement & Durofix.
3. What is the common mounting medium used in mounting the stained sections.
- Canada Balsam is the most commonly used mounting medium which came from a Canadian
tree – Albus Balsamea. It has a refractive index of 1.524 and it is considered a good mounting
medium because it is transparent
4. What is the appropriate refractive index of the mounting medium.
- In a refractive medium, the most appropriate refractive index is at least near 1.518 because this
will govern the contrast between the cellular detail and background and this will also govern the
transparency of the observed sample against the bright field of the microscope.
5. Enumerate other mounting medium that can be use in stained sections.
- Aside from Canada Balsam, the following are also used as mounting medium:
1. Enumerate the difficulties encountered during mounting.
- According to the book, the following are the difficulties encountered during the process:
a. If an unmounted stained section is seen in the microscope, differences in light refraction
between the glass slides and the tissue components, may lead to difference in length dispersion;
hence, very little microscopic detail can usually be appreciated.
b. Excessive mounting medium will cause it to ooze out of the sides of the cover glass, and should
be carefully wiped with a fine cloth moistened with xylene.
c. Excessive blotting will dry up the section, causing shrinkage and cracking of the specimen.
d. Excess xylene, if not removed, will mix with the mountant and form bubbles on the slide.
e. Too little mounting medium may also cause improper setting of the coverslip or formation of
bubbles on the section, which can be teased out by gently pressing on the cover glass with a
pointed forceps or mounting needle.
2. What is ringing?
- According to the book, Ringing is the process of sealing the margins of the coverslip. This step
is optional but this is done to keep the coverslip in place which can prevent the escape of mounting
medium from the coverslip, avoid evaporation of mountant, and prevent sticking of the slides upon
storage. Examples of ringing mediums are Kronig Cement & Durofix.
3. What is the common mounting medium used in mounting the stained sections.
- Canada Balsam is the most commonly used mounting medium which came from a Canadian
tree – Albus Balsamea. It has a refractive index of 1.524 and it is considered a good mounting
medium because it is transparent
4. What is the appropriate refractive index of the mounting medium.
- In a refractive medium, the most appropriate refractive index is at least near 1.518 because this
will govern the contrast between the cellular detail and background and this will also govern the
transparency of the observed sample against the bright field of the microscope.
5. Enumerate other mounting medium that can be use in stained sections.
- Aside from Canada Balsam, the following are also used as mounting medium:
