GENERAL INFORMATION
In the use & maintenance of
ACRYLIC, ALUMINUM and STAINLESS STEEL
TISSUE MATRICES
Acrylic, aluminum and stainless steel brain, organ and tissue matrices were developed to better help the medical research community prepare discrete regions in fresh or preserved tissue samples. We refer you to the short communiqué, Removal of discrete fresh regions of the rat brain; Brain Research, 80 (1974) pg. 111-115, which offers basic information that may apply to your tissue sampling applications.
Aster Industries has developed and modified these brain, organ and tissue matrices in the hope that the different styles and designs benefit whatever your needs require. The acrylic matrices are offered as a durable and less expensive device to prepare your tissue samples. The more durable aluminum and stainless steel matrices are useful when heat transfer or the maintenance of a specific temperature range is required in your scientific protocol. Acrylic matrices are not recommended for heat or cold transfer and will become brittle if frozen.
We have designed our matrices to section tissue slices to a thickness as small as 0.5mm; depending upon what matrix design you choose to use. Ordinary industrial razor blades are generally used to slice the brain and/or tissue material. We recommend that the cutting blade be wetted with saline to act as a lubricant before shearing the target tissue. Micron tissue punches are also available for removal of specific areas of the tissues.
The disinfections or sterilization of your matrix is dependent on the material your matrix is manufactured from. The acrylic material cannot be autoclaved and must be chemically sterilized. We recommend that the anodized aluminum matrix be chemically sterilized, as frequent autoclaving may cause crazing of an anodized surface. Avoid cleaning the anodized aluminum matrix in high concentrations of acidic or alkaline solutions. The un-anodized aluminum and stainless steel matrix can be autoclaved and/or cold sterilized. A list of recommended hard surface ?disinfectants? is shown in Table 1. A list of recommended instrument ?sterilants? is shown in Table 2.
Please note: Before using any chemical solutions, make sure the solution is compatible with the acrylic and aluminum material. Place a drop or two of the solution on one side of your matrix and leave for a period of time to see if the sterilant causes any harm to the matrix. If the test is to your satisfaction, you can use the sterilant of choice. After using the sterilant to wash the matrix, immediately rinse with clean water or saline solution. Do not immerse the matrix in the disinfectant, only wash and immediately rinse for best results.
Table 1. RECOMMENDED HARD SURFACE DISINFECTANTS (e.g., table tops, equipment) Always follow manufacturer's instructions.
NAME | EXAMPLES * | COMMENTS |
Alcohols | 70% ethyl alcohol 70% - 99% isopropyl alcohol | Contact time required is 15 minutes. Contaminated surfaces take longer to disinfect. Remove gross contamination before using. Inexpensive. Flammable. |
Quaternary Ammonium | Roccal®, Cetylcide® | Rapidly inactivated by organic matter. Compounds may support growth of gram negative bacteria. |
Chlorine | Sodium hypochlorite (Clorox ® 10% solution) Chlorine dioxide (Clidox®, Alcide®) | Corrosive. Presence of organic matter reduces activity. Chlorine dioxide must be fresh ( <14 Days old ); kills vegetative organisms within 3 minutes of contact. |
Aldehydes | Glutaraldehyde (Cidex®, Cide Wipes®) | Rapidly disinfects surfaces. Toxic. Exposure limits have been set by OSHA. |
Phenolics | Lysol®, TBQ® | Less affected by organic material than other disinfectants. |
Chlorhexidine | Nolvasan®, Hibiclens® | Presence of blood does not interfere with activity. Rapidly bactericidal and persistent. Effective against many viruses. |
* The use of common brand names as examples does not indicate a product endorsement.
Table 2. RECOMMENDED INSTRUMENT STERILANTS
Always follow manufacturer's instructions.
AGENTS | EXAMPLES * | COMMENTS |
Physical: Steam sterilization (moist heat) | Autoclave | Effectiveness dependent upon temperature, pressure and time (e.g., 121oC for 15 min. vs 131oC for 3 min). |
Dry Heat | Hot Bead Sterilizer Dry Chamber | Fast. Instruments must be cooled before contacting tissue. |
Ionizing radiation | Gamma Radiation | Requires special equipment. |
Chemical: Gas sterilization | Ethylene Oxide | Requires 30% or greater relative humidity for effectiveness against spores. Gas is irritating to tissue; all materials require safe airing time. Carcinogenic. |
Hydrogen Peroxide | (Sterad®) | Not useful for "Delicate" items. |
Chlorine1 | Chlorine Dioxide (Clidox®, Alcide®) | A minimum of 6 hours required for sterilization. Presence of organic matter reduces activity. Must be freshly made (<14 days) |
Aldehydes1 | Formaldehyde (6% sol.) Glutaraldehyde | For all aldehydes: many hours required for sterilization. Corrosive and irritating. Consult safety representative on proper use. Glutaraldehyde is less irritating and less corrosive than formaldehyde. |
* The use of common brand names as examples does not indicate a product endorsement.
1 Instruments must be rinsed thoroughly with sterile water or saline to remove chemical sterilants before being used