[Histonet] Will brain tissue shrink even more if stored in 70%alcoholprior to processing?

[Vinnie Della Speranza]

You may wish to look at an article authored by Jane Chladny, published in HistoLogic, May 2000, entitled "Artifact in Tissues Held in 70% Ethanol"

the author reported the appearance of 'vacuole' artifact in nervous tissues observed in a variety of mammalian tissues after storage in 70% ethanol.

you can access the article by selecting the link for HistoLogic at www.sakuraus.com




CM Bush wrote:
> 
> Dear Histonet,
> 
> Hello, here is my first post to the list, thank you in advance for your help.
> 
> Summary:
> Having problems with mouse and human brain tissue shrinkage durning processing, but would like to better preserve antigens, concerned storage of tissue 70% ethanol will shrink tissue even further:
> 
> We have lots of brain specimens, stored in formalin for a long time (months up to 10 years), both human and mouse.  We perform immunohistochemistry on paraffin embedded brain.  Of course, there is the massive over fixation. Also the tissue shrinks a lot during processing.
> 
> In my last lab, after brain tissue had been fixed in formalin for 7 days we would store the tissue in 70% ethanol.  I'd like to start storing the brain tissue I work with now in 70%, but I'm worried about the tissue possibly shinking too much, as the tissue already seems to shrink by greater than 60% after processing.
> 
> (Previously, we would gradually increase the alcohols, 30% for 1 hour, then 50% for an hour in a bucket, room temperature on a rocker table, then put the cassettes into a bucket of 70% and store at room temp or 4C- does this process help any with controling the shrinkage factor?)
> 
> Maybe this is a little bit long...thank you very much for your time.
> 
> CM Bush
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Vinnie Della Speranza
Manager for Anatomic Pathology Services
Medical University of South Carolina
165 Ashley Avenue  Suite 309
Charleston, SC 29425
Ph: 843-792-6353
fax: 843-792-8974