The Rubelab microscope slide collection provides several functions; a permanent record of research results; a library of methods; and anatomy teaching. It also allows future methodologies and perspectives to be applied to gain further insights from past work. These functions can be achieved only if the slide collection is well organized. Further, any slide has to be linked to the relevant records so it can be interpreted.

All slides from any given series number should be boxed in a logical order. It it usually preferred that all the slides for a given animal are grouped together. This would include all histological stains (thionin, toluidine blue, H & E, etc.) as well as immunocytochemical, autoradiographical and other experimental labelling. One may group slides by experiment, if more than one type of experiment was conducted in the series. In the event of an experiment using the same series number over more than one year, the animals for the succeeding years are boxed as usual but placed on the shelf alongside slides from the initial year.

ALL SLIDES FROM AN EXPERIMENT SHOULD BE BOXED! The only slides that might be discarded are from botched perfusions or immuno-cytochemistry known to have failed for definite reasons, such as overheated, overfixed, stepped on, bad reagents, etc. (well, actually you could get good ICC from a slide that has been stepped on).

The minimum information to be placed on each slide:

Animal Number

The section thickness and series designation for sections collected subserially (i.e. 1/4, 1/8, etc.) should be on the first slide, and every subsequent tenth slide in the series.

A tape label on the spine of the slide box should contain the following:

Series Number - e.g. 90-9900

Series Name - e.g. Laminaris Nuclear Resonance

list of animals - animal number and/or special treatments in the box

Write the series number and series name in large print so they are visible up on a shelf.

Additional information regarding treatment, fixation, antibody or histologic stains may be placed either on the slide or on the index of the box cover.

Notations in the slide box identifying sacrifice sheets, experiment notebooks or other interpretive materials are helpful.

When slides are boxed, separate those from each animal or experimental grouping from one another by two slide spaces. The two blank spaces can be used for the header, or descriptive title, of the following group of slides. The index spaces actually occupied by the slides can be used to identify individual slides. If the slides are of uniform treatment, and all relevant information is contained in the grouping header and on the slides, then a wavy line can be drawn down the index to indicate a specific grouping.

Keep slide labels legible. If neccessary, relabel with dark pencil or fine tip felt marker after coverslipping. Pencil labels can be protected with a thin smear of DPX. Otherwise, they will smear and rub off as the slides are handled.

It is helpful if the slide index gives the title, name or other description of the animal books sacrifice sheets or notebooks in which specific experimental and animal information may be found.