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Compresstome® VF-800-0Z
The only vibrating microtome built for large-diameter specimens — sections organs up to 100 mm across without freezing. Fully automated, 5× faster than conventional vibratomes, and capable of producing live brain slices, fixed-tissue histology, and whole-organ sections with sub-4 µm Z-axis vibration.
What is the Compresstome® VF-800-0Z?
The Compresstome® VF-800-0Z is a large-diameter, fully automated vibrating microtome designed by Precisionary Instruments for sectioning large tissue specimens without freezing. It is the only vibratome on the market capable of accommodating samples up to 100 mm in diameter, making it the instrument of choice for whole-brain, large organ, and high-throughput multi-sample sectioning in preclinical and basic research settings.
The patented Compresstome technology uses a cylindrical agarose-embedding system that stabilizes tissue from the outside in, dramatically reducing compression artifacts and enabling consistent section quality across the full diameter of large specimens. With Z-axis vibration below 4 µm and full parameter control over advance speed, vibration frequency, and slice thickness, the VF-800-0Z delivers reproducible results whether you are preparing live acute brain slices for electrophysiology or fixed tissue for immunohistochemistry and electron microscopy.
Key Features
- Large-Diameter Sectioning: Accepts specimens up to 100 mm in diameter — primate brains, human organs, and multiple rodent brains simultaneously.
- No Freezing Required: Agarose embedding preserves tissue viability and morphology without cryodamage, enabling live-cell protocols.
- Sub-4 µm Z-Axis Vibration: Minimizes compression and tearing for clean, artifact-free sections as thin as 40 µm.
- Fully Automated Operation: Integrated control box with intuitive parameters for advance speed (0–5 mm/s), vibration frequency (0–60 Hz), and step thickness (1 µm resolution).
- 5× Faster Than Conventional Vibratomes: High-throughput design enables rapid production of large section series for histopathology, genomics, and organoid studies.
- Cordless Motor: Quiet, durable brushless motor with no cables obstructing access to the specimen tray.
- Tungsten Carbide Blade Compatibility: Custom-made blades deliver consistent cutting performance across soft and fixed tissues alike.
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Technical Specifications
| Catalog Number | VF-800-0Z |
| Advance Speed | 0–5 mm/s, adjustable |
| Return Speed | 10 mm/s, fixed |
| Vibration Frequency | 0–60 Hz, adjustable |
| Vibration Amplitude | 1 mm, fixed |
| Z-Axis Vibration | <4 µm |
| Slice Thickness Range | 40–2000 µm |
| Micrometer Resolution | 1 µm |
| Maximum Tissue Diameter | 100 mm |
| Maximum Tissue Length | 85 mm |
| Cutting Angle | 20 degrees |
| Buffer Tray (L×W×H) | 330 × 153 × 25 mm |
| Compatible Blades | Tungsten carbide (custom-made) |
| Dimensions (L×W×H) | 350 × 368 × 415 mm |
| Weight | 17.6 kg |
| Power | AC 100–110 V / 200–240 V, 18 W |
Applications
- Live acute brain slice preparation for electrophysiology and patch clamp
- Organotypic slice cultures for long-term tissue studies
- Immunohistochemistry and histopathology on large organs
- High-throughput sectioning of multiple samples simultaneously
- Electron microscopy sample preparation
- Genetic sequencing and spatial transcriptomics on tissue sections
- Plant and organoid sectioning
Tissue Slicing
Explore All ProductsPatch Clamp Techniques
Explore All ProductsCompresstome VF-800-0Z Publications
The Compresstome VF-800-0Z has been adopted in neuroscience, pathology, and plant biology research for its ability to produce high-quality sections from large tissue specimens without freezing. Published studies leverage its large-diameter capacity for whole-organ histology, live brain slice electrophysiology, and high-throughput spatial transcriptomics.
What is the Compresstome® VF-800-0Z used for?
The Compresstome® VF-800-0Z is a vibrating microtome from Precisionary Instruments used to cut high-quality live tissue slices — most commonly acute brain slices for electrophysiology, but also liver, kidney, heart, lung, and tumour slices for organ-on-slice and pharmacology research.
How does the Compresstome differ from a standard vibratome?
The Compresstome embeds the tissue in low-melt agarose inside a specimen tube and uses positive pressure to advance the sample into the vibrating blade. This stabilises the tissue, eliminates compression artefacts, and produces healthier, more reproducible slices with reduced edge damage.
What sample size and slice thickness range does the VF-800-0Z support?
The VF-800-0Z is built specifically for large-diameter specimens — it accepts samples up to ~100 mm across, the largest in its class, without the need to freeze. Slice thickness is fully adjustable across the standard range used for live tissue slicing, electrophysiology, and whole-organ sectioning.
Is the Compresstome suitable for adult mouse and rat brain slices?
Yes — the VF-800-0Z is widely used for acute brain slice preparation from adult mouse and rat, including hippocampus, cortex, striatum, cerebellum, and brainstem, producing slices with healthy patchable neurons suitable for whole-cell recording.
What buffer conditions does the Compresstome support?
The VF-800-0Z chamber accommodates standard ice-cold cutting solutions (sucrose- or NMDG-based aCSF) with continuous oxygenation, supporting all current acute slice preparation protocols for electrophysiology and live imaging.
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