Acid ethanol fixation and polyester wax embedding combines preservation of antigenic determinants with good morphology and enables simultaneous bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) labeling

Biotech Histochem. 1991;1(2):55-62. doi: 10.3109/10520299109110551.

Abstract

Lymphoid tissue, and/or isolated peripheral mononuclear blood cells were fixed in acid ethanol and embedded in polyester wax (melting point 37 C). The excellent cytomorphology obtained allowed distinguishing different types of individual lymphoid and nonlymphoid cells. Furthermore, this procedure was satisfactory in the immunophenotyping of histiocytes, endothelial, mesenchymal, epithelial cells, different (sub-) types of lymphocytes and also of lymphokine activated killer (LAK) cells. The staining patterns obtained with the different poly- and monoclonal antibodies on polyester wax sections were not only analogous to those obtained on frozen sections, but cells which had incorporated bromodeoxyuridine could be double labeled with specific antiserum.

MeSH terms

  • Bromodeoxyuridine*
  • Epitopes / chemistry*
  • Ethanol
  • Fixatives
  • Histocytochemistry
  • Humans
  • Killer Cells, Lymphokine-Activated / immunology
  • Lymphoid Tissue / cytology
  • Lymphoid Tissue / immunology
  • Polyesters
  • Staining and Labeling

Substances

  • Epitopes
  • Fixatives
  • Polyesters
  • Ethanol
  • Bromodeoxyuridine