Thermo Scientific Cool Cut Clamp

Histological examination is often necessary for the detection, diagnosis and characterisation of many clinical conditions, with the production of suitable sections for microscopic examination an important skill. Preparing and embedding tissue in a suitable matrix enables the technician to produce sections of an appropriate thickness for pathological analysis.

Paraffin wax is often used as an embedding medium; paraffin blocks are hardened by being placed on ice, cooling both the tissue and the wax to a similar consistency and swelling the tissue to make it easier to section. As the block heats up, however, the paraffin softens and expands, resulting in corrugation and variations in the consistency of the sections, rendering some unsuitable for use. Technicians therefore have a finite time in which they can section and, as a result, have to continually remove the block from the microtome and re-cool it on ice to achieve the quality of sections required for downstream analysis.

The Thermo Scientific Cool Cut Clamp is a peltier-cooled specimen clamp which maintains the paraffin block at a suitable temperature for sectioning for a prolonged period. Compatible with the company’s range of rotary microtomes, the product provides laboratories with the ability to achieve consistent section thickness when cutting individual, step and serial sections, with minimal interruptions. Compared to other specimen clamps, the product is said to keep the temperature of the block at 8-12°C for more than 5 min without having to re-cool it on ice.