A microtome is a specialized medical device that is used to take extremely thin slices of tissue for further study under a microscope. It is an essential tool in many areas of medicine and research, as it allows a very detailed analysis of the structure of tissues and organs.
It consists of a small platform on which the tissue to be examined is placed. The tissue is held firmly in place with a tweezer, then cut with a very sharp blade. The blade is moved along the platform with the help of a sliding mechanism, and can be adjusted to produce slices of variable thickness. Once the tissue slice has been removed, it is placed on a slide and placed under a microscope for examination.
This allows the researcher to observe in a very detailed way the internal structure of the tissue, which can be of vital importance for the diagnosis and treatment of a wide variety of diseases.
Microtome functions and parts
The microtome, is a high-precision device, and its use requires a certain degree of skill and experience. For this reason, it is usually necessary to go through a training period before you can use them safely.
It consists of several parts, each of which fulfills a specific function to ensure the correct production of the thin sheets. Which are:
- The base, which is where the material to be cut is placed. It is usually made of wood or plastic and is covered with a layer of rubber or soft plastic to protect the material to be cut. There is also a groove in the base, which is used to place the sheet on which the material will be deposited.
- The table, which is where the slide is placed. It is a glass or metal plate on which the material to be cut is placed. The table moves up and down to adjust the height of the slide so you can get sheets of the desired thickness.
- The arm, used to hold the knife. The arm moves up and down and is equipped with a scale that allows the height of the knife to be adjusted with respect to the slide.
- The body, which is where the slide is placed. It has a slot in which the slide is inserted and is equipped with a scale that allows you to adjust the height of the slide.
- The cuff, which is used to hold the body. The cuff can be moved up and down to adjust body height so that sheets of the desired thickness can be obtained.
- The slide, which is where the material to be cut is placed. The slide is usually made of glass or metal and has a slot in which a sheet of metal or plastic can be inserted to protect the knife.
- The last part is the knife, which is used to cut the material. The knife is equipped with a slot in which a sheet of metal or plastic can be inserted to protect the knife.
Applications and Types of Microtome
Microtomes are an essential piece of equipment for many scientific and medical applications, such as histology, materials science and biological research. They allow us to study the internal structure of very small objects, like cells and viruses.
Microtomes can be used to cut a variety of different materials, including biological tissues, metals, plastics and even glass. In histology, microtomes are used to prepare tissue sections for microscopy.
There are two main types of microtomes: manual and rotary. Manual microtomes are the simplest and most common type. They consist of a base, a platform to hold the specimen and a sheet. The blade moves up and down a handle, and the slices are cut by hand.
Rotary microtomes are much easier to use and can cut slices more evenly. They consist of the same basic parts as a manual microtome, but the blade moves with a motor rather than by hand.
Kalstein Microtomes series
Kalstein with the use of our YR Series Microtomes series, our customers can use them with complete confidence, thanks to its support, the blade can move forward or backward and left or right, resulting in easy cutting and sectioning operations. In addition to the LCD screen, it can display the number of sections and ornaments; equipped with a security alert system. To learn more about our catalog HERE
