In article <74pat5$8au at net.bio.net>, Carolyn J. Decker
<cdecker at mail.wsu.edu> writes
>I am looking for advise on tetrad dissection tools. I have made several
>dissection tools for my Nikon dissection scope using a glass rod and a
>piece of fiber optic cable that I cut with a razor blade or scalpel. The
>tools pick up tetrads well but do not release them efficiently. The tips
>of the fiber optic cable are not perfectly flat so I may be losing
>tetrads/spores in crevices in the tip.
>>Are dissection tools commercially available?
>>Does anyone have advice on how to make tools with flat tips?
>>Please respond to me via email at cdecker at mail.wsu.edu.>Thankyou!
>Carolyn Decker
>>>Carolyn,
We supply needles and holders: please see our Website.
Make sure that the fiber you are using is between 25 and 50 microns
diameter. Some fiber has a plastic coating - make sure yours doesn't.
I think that the trick in cutting (with a razor blade or cover slip held
at 45 deg.) is to "nick" the fiber so that a crack propagates and the
fiber "pings" apart, rather than being crushed.
Prepare a lot of cut fibers, then inspect them under the stereoscopic
dissecting 'scope for ones with planar ends. It does not matter if the
plane is not normal (perpendicular to the axis). We then inspect ours
end-on under X400 under working conditions and reject any with flaws.
Make sure that your fibres are not contaminated with grease from your
fingers or glue.
If you make a good needle - guard it with your life !
Hope this helps,
Carl Singer
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