Slide Mount for Fluorescent Labeling (Cat#032019)

Aqueous Antifade Mountant for Fluorescent Labeling
Laboratory Use Only, Store at -20ºC to 25ºC

The water-based Slide Mount^TM is specially formulated for preserving fluorescent labeling in brain sections. This mounting medium contains antifade reagents that provide protection against fading or photobleaching of commonly used fluorophores. It has been proven to preserve fluorescence signaling on paraformaldehyde (PFA) fixed brain sections and can be used in conjunction with GFP/YFP, tdTomato, fluorescein, rhodamine, Texas Red, Cy3, Alexa Fluor™, and fluorescent dye tracers, such as DiI and DiA. The mountant is supplied ready-to-use and can be stored at room temperature (RT), in a refrigerator, or in a freezer.

Slide MountTM was applied to brain sections with fluorescent labeling. (A,B) Sections were incubated in anti-BrdU and anti-GFP primary antibodies, followed by Alexa Fluor™ 568 (red) and 488 (green) secondary antibodies, respectively. Sections were then embedded in the mountant, stored at RT for one week, and imaged. (C) The dual-labeled section was embedded in the mounting medium. The image was taken immediately after the embedding. (D) AAV1 transfected neurons were labeled with anti-RFP and Alexa Fluor™ 647 antibodies. The coverslipped section was stored at RT for one year, and then imaged. Immuno-fluorescence staining was performed on free-floating cryostat sections (20 μm thick). The stained sections were mounted on gelatin-coated glass slides.

REAGENT PROVIDED:

• Slide Mount ^TM : 10 ml of solution in a dropper bottle.
• The mountant is formulated for preserving fluorescent labeling in brain sections with an ultra-low background. It contains antifade reagents that suppress fading or photobleaching of commonly used fluorophores. 

Product Features:

• Compatible with commonly used fluorophores, providing anti-fading and anti-photobleaching.
• View and image after mounting without needing to wait for hardening.
• Long-term storage of coverslipped sections without needing to seal coverslip with nail polish or plastic sealant.
• Hardened mountant can be removed using PBS-T or dH 2 O, and brain sections can be re-coverslipped with the mountant.

Storage and Stability:

• Can be stored at -20°C to 25°C. Keep the bottle tightly sealed and avoid strong direct light.
• Stable for six months at RT (22°C) or one year in a refrigerator (4°C).

Warranty: 12 months from the date of purchase.

Return Policy: Bioenno Tech’s return policy for this product is 90 days from the date of purchase.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR USE:

• If the Slide Mount TM is stored in a freezer, thaw prior to use.
• If the Slide Mount TM is stored in a refrigerator (4°C) or at room temperature (RT), use it directly.

1) After fluorescent dye tracing, immunofluorescent staining (IF), or fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), mount brain sections upon adhesive microscope slides, such as gelatin-coated slides. Air-dry the sections/slides at RT.

Optional: Wash the dried slides in 0.01 M PBS containing 0.3% Triton X-100 (PBS-T) for 1-5 minutes and then quickly rinse (1-3 seconds) the slides with distilled water (dH 2 O). Remove excess water around sections and air-dry the slides for 1-5 minutes at RT. (Please make sure the mounted sections are dried before rinsing with dH 2 O.)

2) Place the slides on a level surface, apply the mountant to sections, and coverslip the sections.

• One to several drops of mountant may be needed, depending on number of sections.
• Apply coverslip slowly with the aid of surgical forceps to avoid generating bubbles.
• Touch the slide with one edge of the coverslip and slowly lower the coverslip onto the slide.
• Remove extra mountant carefully around edges by capillary action with filter paper or Kimwipes.
• No need to seal the perimeter of the coverslip with nail polish or plastic sealant.

3) Place the coverslipped slides on a level surface to harden, which may take hours or longer at RT.

• Slides can be viewed and imaged after being coverslipped. There is no need to wait for hardening.
• Mountant can be removed by immersing the slides in PBS-T or dH 2 O.

4) The slides can be stored at RT in a slide box or appropriate slide container. For best results, store slides in the dark.

• The slides can also be stored at 4°C, but storing at RT (22°C) works perfectly.
• Drying or long-term storage may cause air bubbles; simply remove coverslip and hardened mountant by immersing the slides in PBS-T or dH 2 O, and then re-coverslipping with the mountant.

SAFETY AND HANDLING PRECAUTIONS:

The mountant is designed for in vitro research use only and not for drug, diagnostic, or other uses.
The mountant contains reagents that may be harmful upon contact with skin, inhalation, or ingestion. Do not pipette by mouth. Use standard precautions to avoid inhalation or contact with skin and eyes. In case of contact, wash immediately with generous amounts of water and seek medical advice. If swallowed, wash out mouth with water and immediately call a physician. Perform experiment under a chemical hood. Wear suitable protective clothing, gloves, and eye/face protection. Wash hands thoroughly after performing the experiment. Material safety data sheet (MSDS) is available upon request.