Apparatus and method for precision cryoembedding of tissue samples

A method for preparing a tissue sample comprising the steps of:

• wetting a tissue sample with a drop of embedding medium;
• placing the tissue sample face down on the floor of a cooled embedding well;
• filling the embedding well with embedding medium to the brim of the well to create a meniscus of fluid above the level of the well;
• placing a chuck onto the protruding meniscus covering the well;
• placing an over-chuck cooling block over the chuck;
• freezing the sample for a period of time;
• and
• removing the sample and chuck from the embedding well.

A method for cryoembedding a tissue sample comprising the steps of:

• coating a specimen with embedding medium and placing the specimen onto a metallic surface;
• covering the sample with embedding medium;
• covering the embedded sample with a cooling block;
• freezing the sample for a period of time;
• removing the cooling block;
• placing the frozen embedded sample on a cutting board;
• and
• sectioning the embedded sample.

A method of placing a tissue in an embedding well of a cryostat comprising the steps of:

• placing a wetted tissue sample at an end of a dispensing slide so that sample overhangs the end;
• placing the dispensing slide over an embedding well and pressing the overhanging sample to an embedding well floor with a flattening tool;
• pulling the dispensing slide out from under the tissue;
• and
• flattening the tissue sample with the flattening tool as the tissue sample is pulled off of the dispensing slide.