[Histonet] acetic zinc formalin(AZF) and immunohistochemistry

[Pam O'Neill]

   Help! Our hospital is phasing out b-5 fixative because of it's mercury
   content  and  hazard  to  the  environment.  We  have  started testing
   substitutes,  one of them the fixing agent, AZF(see subject). It works
   really  well  on  hematoxylin and eosin(H&E) stained sections of lymph
   node  and bone marrow  biopsies. However, we are just starting to test
   on  immunohistochemical  reagents  with  much  less  success. Our bone
   marrows  which  are  decaled  in RDO decal solution and fixed with AZF
   light  up everything  with nonspecific staining (Kappa and Lambda). We
   have  a  Dako  autostainer  and  a Ventana LT and XT. The same problem
   exists  on  both  these machines. The only time we tested a lymph node
   fixed  in  AZF  we  had  great  success  with CD-30(Ki-1) but negative
   staining  on  the  T and B cell antibodies tested on the Ventana. I am
   continuing  to  test  this  product  as  I  write  this. Anyone who is
   currently using this fixative, available from Newcomer Supply, and has
   worked  out  the details on the Ventana or Dako stainers please let me
   know.    Pam  O'Neill ,  St Vincent Mercy Medical Center, Toledo, Ohio
   USA



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