NDLI: The rapid-tome, a 3D-printed microtome, and an updated hand-sectioning method for high-quality plant sectioning

Content Provider	Springer Nature : BioMed Central
Author	Thomas, David J. Rainbow, Jordan Bartley, Laura E.
Abstract	Background Microscopic analysis of plant anatomy is a common procedure in biology to study structure and function that requires high-quality sections for accurate measurements. Hand sectioning of specimens is typically limited to moderately soft tissue while harder samples prohibit sectioning by hand and/or result in inconsistent thicknesses. Results Here we present both a clearly described hand-sectioning method and a novel microtome design that together provide the means to section a variety of plant sample types. The described hand-sectioning method for herbaceous stems works well for softer subjects but is less suitable for samples with secondary growth (e.g., wood production). Instead, the “Rapid-Tome” is a novel tool for sectioning both soft and tougher high-aspect-ratio samples, such as stems and roots, with excellent sample control. The Rapid-Tome can be 3D-printed in approximately 18 h on a mid-quality printer common at university maker spaces. After printing and trimming, Rapid-Tome assembly takes a few minutes with five metal parts common at hardware stores. Users sectioned a variety of plant samples including the hollow internodes of switchgrass (Panicum virgatum), fibrous switchgrass roots containing aerenchyma, and woody branches of eastern red cedar (Juniperus virginiana) and American sycamore (Platanus occidentalis). A comparative analyses with Rapid-Tome-produced sections readily revealed a significant difference in seasonal growth of sycamore xylem vessel area in spring (49%) vs. summer (23%). Additionally, high school students with no prior experience produced sections with the Rapid-Tome adequate for comparative analyses of various plant samples in less than an hour. Conclusions The described hand-sectioning method is suitable for softer tissues, including hollow-stemmed grasses and similar samples. In addition, the Rapid-Tome provides capacity to safely produce high-quality sections of tougher plant materials at a fraction of the cost of traditional microtomes combined with excellent sample control. The Rapid-Tome features rapid sectioning, sample advancement, blade changes, and sample changes; it is highly portable and can be used easily with minimal training making production of thin sections accessible for classroom and outreach use, in addition to research.
Related Links	https://plantmethods.biomedcentral.com/counter/pdf/10.1186/s13007-023-00986-3.pdf
Ending Page	13
Page Count	13
Starting Page	1
File Format	HTM / HTML
ISSN	17464811
DOI	10.1186/s13007-023-00986-3
Journal	Plant Methods
Issue Number	1
Volume Number	19
Language	English
Publisher	BioMed Central
Publisher Date	2023-02-04
Access Restriction	Open
Subject Keyword	Plant Sciences Biological Techniques Plant Sectioning Microscopy Plant anatomy 3D-printing Root Stem Cross section
Content Type	Text
Resource Type	Article
Subject	Plant Science Biotechnology Genetics
Journal Impact Factor	4.7/2023
5-Year Journal Impact Factor	5.6/2023

Sl.	Authority	Responsibilities	Communication Details
1	Ministry of Education (GoI), Department of Higher Education	Sanctioning Authority	https://www.education.gov.in/ict-initiatives
2	Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur	Host Institute of the Project: The host institute of the project is responsible for providing infrastructure support and hosting the project	https://www.iitkgp.ac.in
3	National Digital Library of India Office, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur	The administrative and infrastructural headquarters of the project	Dr. B. Sutradhar bsutra@ndl.gov.in
4	Project PI / Joint PI	Principal Investigator and Joint Principal Investigators of the project	Dr. B. Sutradhar bsutra@ndl.gov.in Prof. Saswat Chakrabarti will be added soon
5	Website/Portal (Helpdesk)	Queries regarding NDLI and its services	support@ndl.gov.in
6	Contents and Copyright Issues	Queries related to content curation and copyright issues	content@ndl.gov.in
7	National Digital Library of India Club (NDLI Club)	Queries related to NDLI Club formation, support, user awareness program, seminar/symposium, collaboration, social media, promotion, and outreach	clubsupport@ndl.gov.in
8	Digital Preservation Centre (DPC)	Assistance with digitizing and archiving copyright-free printed books	dpc@ndl.gov.in
9	IDR Setup or Support	Queries related to establishment and support of Institutional Digital Repository (IDR) and IDR workshops	idr@ndl.gov.in

Correction: The rapid-tome, a 3D-printed microtome, and an updated hand-sectioning method for high-quality plant sectioning

The Rapid-Tome, a 3D-Printed Microtome, and an Updated Hand-Sectioning Method for High-Quality Plant Sectioning

An Updated Protocol for High Throughput Plant Tissue Sectioning

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The rapid-tome, a 3D-printed microtome, and an updated hand-sectioning method for high-quality plant sectioning

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Correction: The rapid-tome, a 3D-printed microtome, and an updated hand-sectioning method for high-quality plant sectioning

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