The UVM series of mountants

Have you ever wished for a uv-mountant (UV Mount medium) i.e. a light curable mountant, that is quick quick drying, easy to use and economical – well try our new UVM series of mountants.  Similarly have you ever had specimens that move around, change shape on the slide and make it difficult to home in on the area of interest?  These are light-curable mountants and will fix your specimens making your microscopic examination much easier.

Listed below are some of the many advantageous properties of these new solutions. Compare them with what is currently on offer and you will soon see the difference.

• They cure with desk-lights! I.e. no need to use Ultraviolet lamps.
• Curing is rapid – usually 2 to 3 minutes.
• The cured mountant seals on the cover slip – no need to get high on nail varnish.
• No vacuoles (air pockets) in the cured film.
• The solutions are stable – you won’t be trying to pipette a stringy jelly-like material.
• The UVM mountants are water miscible prior to curing.
• They are totally free of organic solvents such as xylene etc.
• They are compatible with a wide range of aqueous buffers.
• The high refractive index mountant (UVM-3) is totally halogen free (it should however only be used with fixed (cross linked specimens).  This is a unique product and of great potential to laser spectroscopists.
• The UVM-1 solution is ideal for samples being examined by transmission light microscopy and for fluorescence microscopy where fluorochrome fading is not a problem.  If fluorochrome fading is a problem, addition of AF100 should alleviate the problem

The solutions are based on light-curable methacrylates and therefore due care has to be taken when using them – always work in a well-ventilated areas wearing appropriate gloves.

The Permafix series of mountants

These mountants are for use as SOLID MOUNTANTS.  A Permafix solution PF-1, may be used with antifadents such as either AF100, AF200 or AF300.   The solution of PF-1 and the antifadent is added to the sample and a cover slip applied.  As the water evaporates the cross-linking of the modified poly(vinyl alcohol) occurs.

Permafix –1 (HRF) dries to give a film of high refractive index (~1.52).  The solution should only be used with fixed i.e. cross-linked samples since linear biopolymers are solubilised by the mountant/immersion oils due to them containing a surfactant-type species

Some benefits of using the Permafix series:

• They dry to give a hard film that keeps the cover slip in position i.e. accidental loss of the cover slip is very unlikely to occur.
• The Permafix and Antifadent solutions are sold separately so as to prevent premature gellation.  This is the reason for having a 2-pack system

calling all scanning laser microscopists

The CFM-series of mountant/immersion oils

• Have a refractive index of 1.52 to match the refractive index of your slides and cover slips.
• Simple to use and store. Just apply the solution to the specimen followed by a cover slip. The solutions may be stored at room temperature.
• Are miscible with water (aqueous glycerol based) and therefore you do not have to dry your specimens prior to adding the mountant solution. The solutions are non-odorous and are halogen-free.
• Have a pH compatible with your specimens.  CFM-1 and CFM-3 have a pH of ~6.5, CFM-1 plus antifadent has a pH of ~10.5 and CFM-2 has a pH of ~8.5
• Contain an antifadent to help reduce the bleaching of your fluorochromes (CFM-1 Plus antifadent).
• May be used as immersion oils in addition to being a mountant solution and since they are water-based, they facilitate cleaning of the microscope optics.
• Sealing of cover slips cannot be carried out using nail varnish but materials such as DPX mounting medium may be used

NB The CFM series of mountants/immersion oils should only be used with fixed i.e. cross-linked samples since linear biopolymers are solubilised by the mountant/immersion oils due to them containing a surfactant-type species

Why not contact us (fax or e-mail) for a free sample?

Fax: +44 (0)20 7729 2936 Free Sample Printable Fax Form (opens in a new window; requires Adobe® Reader - most computers will already have this installed - if not get it at free download)
E-mail: orders@citifluor.co.uk