Short Hand-Sectioning Demo with video

[mrsonchus]

Hi all, I've been hand-sectioning some Pelargonium stems this evening in order to make a very short video, here it is - very short as said, but may help sme to get started. The blades are simply the cheap single-sided type and as the video shows, I use my fingernail (if you try this be careful) as a guide for the cuts.....
Here's the video, I hope it helps.



I also made a few longitudinal cuts the same way. The vasculature branching from the stem into the leaves is interesting. I'll post a few extra images of the stem TS and LS sections after the application of a little Safranin stain and alcohol fixative - if all goes well and the alcohol doesn't wash all of the stain out....


The piece of stem, with shoot-tip,


First job, wet stem and blade with water - helps the cutting-motion.


The blades are very cheap indeed online,


Longitudinal sections through tip and leaf-branches,


Back soon with hopefully some better images.
These sections aren't by any means perfect or close to what may be achieved with a microtome and wax-embedded tissue of course, but they're easily good enough to show internal anatomy and to enjoy perusing with a 'scope - best to water-mount with coverslip I personally think.

[Roldorf]

Nice video john thanks very much.

[tgss]

Excellent John. Thank you.
Tom W.