[Histonet] Shaffer's Fixative

[John Kiernan]

There are two Schaffer's fixatives (1908, 1918), almost identical: about 30% formalin in about 50% alcohol. 
 
There is also a Schaffner's (1918) fixative, which is 0.3% chromium trioxide and 0.7% acetic acid in water. A mixture of that kind would preserve chromosomes and mitotic spindles well, while largely destroying cytoplasm.
 
Could the problem with your tissue be faulty processing rather than the fixation? Try melting down a few blocks, going back to 70% alcohol and then reprocessing.

----- Original Message -----
From: "Ford, Judi" <judi.ford <@t> roche.com>
Date: Thursday, May 29, 2008 13:03
Subject: [Histonet] Shaffer's Fixative
To: histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu

> 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
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
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