Optimal cutting temperature compound
Image:Tissue for frozen section in cryostat.JPG|thumb|right|230px|Frozen [section procedure]: tissue embedded in optimal cutting temperature compound, mounted on a chuck in a cryostat and ready for section production
Optimal cutting temperature 'compound' is used to embed tissue samples prior to frozen sectioning on a microtome-cryostat. This process is undertaken so as to mount slices of a sample onto slides for analysis.
Components
From MSDS:- 5–15% polyvinyl alcohol
- 1–10% polyethylene glycol
- 75–95% non-reactive ingredients