Meeting Abstract

P1.40  Monday, Jan. 4  Microwave-Assisted Processing Of Coral Tissue TOLEDO-HERNANDEZ, Carlos; TORRES-VAZQUEZ, Irma; SERRANO-VELEZ, Jose; ROSA-MOLINAR, Eduardo*; University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras; University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras; University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras; University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras c_toledo_hernandez@yahoo.com

Although histological procedures using traditional equipment have not changed much in fifty years, the introduction of microwave technology has revolutionized histological processing by reducing processing time while improving tissue integrity.We provide the first description of a histological procedure developed for coral histology. Fourteen healthy and diseased tissue fragments of the Caribbean sea fan Gorgonia ventalina were processed.Using a new method we improved the quality of the histological material and significantly decreased processing time, reducing to 1 hr fixation time in contrast to the 24hrs required for conventional methods, decreasing to 40 minutes the decalcification time as opposed to an average of 24hrs, and reducing tissue processing to 1.2hrs and to 4 simple steps.