And how to grind a tissue with liquid nitrogen? - (Dec/20/2010 )

hello everybody,

it seems that you all are very skilled in grinding tissue in liquid nitrogen!
Well, I'm not, at all, and I'm wondering if you could give me some hints on the practical part! The tissue (mouse seminiferous tubules)is very small, about 10 micrograms.
If I want to grind it in a 1.5 mL tube, how can I pour liquid nitrogen in it???
Can you suggest an adequate pestle (there are so many on the web!)?
Which support do you use for your tube?
Do you know if there is any video available to watch on the subject?

Thank you for your answers!

We close the tube and put them as a whole in the nitrogen containing vessel (a dewar vessel). After some time we get one tube after another out (long forceps) and then the content is ground with a pre-cooled pestle. This is a plastics/Teflon one that fits more or less well to inner wall of the tube. They're white and have a long shaft (similar to the image, but without metal shaft, this is better for motor-driven grounding). Many use these small, coloured pestles, it works too.
Don't forget well-insulated gloves, if you hold the cold tube....

hobglobin on Mon Dec 20 17:16:11 2010 said:

We close the tube and put them as a whole in the nitrogen containing vessel (a dewar vessel). After some time we get one tube after another out (long forceps) and then the content is ground with a pre-cooled pestle. This is a plastics/Teflon one that fits more or less well to inner wall of the tube. They're white and have a long shaft (similar to the image, but without metal shaft, this is better for motor-driven grounding). Many use these small, coloured pestles, it works too.
Don't forget well-insulated gloves, if you hold the cold tube....

The small round end of a spatula (with the rubber coating removed) can be used, too.