[Histonet] Shaffer's Fixative

[Ford, Judi]

Hi everyone,

 

Our lab has received blocks in which the rat livers were fixed in
Shaffer's fixative. I don't know much about this fixative, other than it
is alcohol based, but it is difficult to hydrate the tissue and once cut
the tissue on the slide falls off, even when using '+' slides. The tech
who is cutting the liver tissue noticed that even before staining the
slides, as the tissue is drying, it will crack and curl up. She has cut
and recut the blocks; sometimes with improvement but often without. The
first batch was soaked on an ice tray for 30 min. and the second time
she soaked them for an hour. We also don't know how the tissue was
processed (timing, etc). The slides are being stained with PAS.

 

If anyone has idea on why tissue may be falling off and how to keep it
from happening we'd love to hear suggestions.

 

Cheers,

 

Judi Ford

Roche Palo Alto

Palo Alto, CA