Mounting media

Appropriate mounting medium helps to preserve samples. Mounting media for chromogen detection might be aqueous or non-aqueous while mounting media for immunofluorescence (IF) are aqueous-based with hardening or non-hardening formulas. A good mounting medium for IF detection provides an ideal refractive index and should help to prevent photobleaching and fading of the specific fluorescent signal.

Mounting media for chromogen detection

• Vectamount® permanent mounting medium – resin-based non-aqueous formula, toluene and xylene free, dries clear with ideal refractive index for high-resolution oil-immersion microscopy
• Vectamount® AQ Aqueous mounting medium – hardsetting aqueous formula, preserves color and quality of chromogens that are soluble in alcohol or other organic solvents

Mounting media for fluorescent detection

• Vectashield Antifade Mounting Medium – glycerol-based aqueous formula available with or without DAPI, cover slips will not dry, for long-term storage, coverslips can be sealed with clear nail polish
• Vectashield Hardset Mounting Medium – aqueous formula hardens within 20 minutes, convenient for oil immersion microscopy, available with or without DAPI or TRITC-Phalloidin
• Vectashield Vibrance Antifade mounting medium – excellent antifade properties over the spectrum, especially suitable for fluorophores from the far red spectrum, slides can be stored at room temperature for weeks, available with or without DAPI
• Vector Trueview Autofluorescence Quenching Kit