For preparing IHC slides of rat brain sections, we mount with Fluoromount G, but it is common knowledge in the lab that over time it lets in air bubbles. Does anyone have any tricks to prevent or stop this?
As above, it is essential to seal the slides. The only way air bubbles will come in is if the slides aren't sealed properly.
Any mounting medium for fluorescence is water based and will dry out in time, shrinking its volume and producing bubbles. Therefore for long-term storage the slides must be sealed, typically with nail polish, better if transparent to avoid the pigments to diffuse in your mounting medium and raise the background.
If you are doing classical IHC with dyes or coloured precipitates for bright-field imaging, then use a non-water based mounting medium such as Entellan or similar, which will dry without producing any bubbles. You can let the slices dry in the air for half an hour and then directly apply the Entellan, cover, and let it dry in a fume hood O/N.
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