DiATOME ultra sonic oscillating diamond knife.

DiATOME ultra sonic oscillating diamond knife. The Diatome ultra sonic is an oscillating diamond knife for room temperature ultramicrotomy. It was developed in collaboration with Dr Daniel Studer, Lab. of Anatomy, University of Berne.

A piezo actuator produces an oscillation of the knife at a desired frequency and amplitude, parallel with the cutting edge. A depression in the foot of the knife allows the oscillation parallel to the cutting edge. The depression is rigid in the north/south direction and guarantees stability in the cutting direction. The new knife produces ultrathin sections almost free of compression. The sections become thinner at the same thickness setting: since the volume of the section remains the same, the increased length leads to a decrease in thickness.

Diatome have tested the oscillating knife with the following:

Biological samples in Epon, Araldite, EM Bed, etc.
Biological samples in acrylic resins (Lowicryls, LR White).
Rigid polymers such as PS, PMMA, ABS, HIPS, modified PP, etc.

Specifications

Knife
Knife angle:                          35°
Cutting range:                      10-80nm
Cutting edge length:           3.0mm
Order number:                     DUS3530

Control unit
Frequency:                            25-45kHz, or
automatic setting of the resonance
Amplitude:                            variable (Voltage 0-30V)
Mains voltage:                      230V, 110V

ABS, stained with OsO4, sectioned at room temperature with the ultra sonic knife, section thickness 50nm. Note the almost perfect spherical shape of the large rubber particles and the preservation of the inclusions inside. Also the smaller dense rubber particles are well preserved. B.Vastenhout, Dow Benelux N.V. Terneuzen, The Netherlands.

References

1. H. Sitte: Advanced Instrumentation and Methodology
related to Cryoultramicrotomy: a Review.
Scanning Microscopy Supplement 10, pp. 87-466, 1996.
2. M. Michel, H. Gnägi and M. Müller: Diamonds are a
cryosectioner’s best friend.
Journal of Microscopy, Vol. 166, Pt 1, pp. 43-56, 1992.
3. O.L. Reymond: The diamond knife „semi“: a substitute
for glass or conventional diamond knives in the ultramicrotomy
of thin and semi-thin sections.
Bas. Applied Histochemistry, No. 30, pp. 487-494, 1986.
4. Various publications on materials ultramicrotomy.
Microscopy Research and Technique, Vol. 31. Number
4, pp. 265-310, 1995.
5. L. Edelmann: Freeze-substitution and the preservation
of diffusable ions.
Journal of Microscopy, Vol. 161, pp. 217-228, 1991.
6. J.C. Jésior: How to avoid compression.
Journal of Ultrastructure and Molecular Structure
Research, pp. 210-217, 1986.
7. J.C. Jésior: Use of low-angle diamond knives leads to
improved ultrastructural preservation of ultrathin
sections.
Scanning Microscopy Supplement 3, pp. 147-153, 1989.
8. K. Richter: Cutting artefacts on ultrathin cryosections

of biological bulk specimens.
Micron, Vol. 25, No. 4, pp. 297-308, 1994.
9. K. Richter, H.Gnaegi and J. Dubochet: A model for
cryosectioning based on the morphology of vitrified
ultrathin sections.
Journal of Microscopy, Vol. 163, Pt 1, pp. 19-28, 1991.
10. C.E. Hsieh, M. Marko, J. Frank and C.A. Mannella:
Electron tomographic analysis of frozen-hydrated
tissue sections.
Journal of Structural Biology 138, pp. 63-73, 2002.
11. J.R. McIntosh: Electron Microscopy of Cells: A new
beginning of a new century.
The journal of Cell Biology, Vol. 153, pp. 25-32, 2001.
12. A. Al-Amoudi, J.Dubochet, H. Gnaegi, W. Lüthi,
D.Studer: An oscillating cryo-knife reduces cutting induced
deformation of vitreous ultrathin sections.
Journal of Microscopy, Vol. 212, Pt 1, pp. 26-33, 2003.
13. D. Studer and H. Gnägi: Minimal compression of ultrathin
sections with use of an oscillating diamond knife.
Journal of Microscopy, Vol. 197, Pt 1, pp. 94-100, 2000.
14. J.S. Vastenhout and H.Gnaegi: Ultramicrotomy of
polymers using an oscillating knife; improving polymer
morphology.
Microscopy and Microanalysis. 8 (Suppl. 2) 2002.