[Histonet] fixation-density

[Gudrun Lang]

Hi all,

I'm still dealing with trichrome staining. There is the theory of
diffusion-ratio of smaller and bigger dyes. I have a problem of
understanding:

Why is the fixed cytoplasma, formerly filled with more or less soluble
proteins beside the cytokeratins, more dense than the fibrillar and twisted
collagenfibers. Are the spaces between the helices bigger than the mesh of
the crosslinked proteins? There is much water in a cell (yes?) and the
proteins are sticked together through fixation. 

Can someone bring light into my darkness?

 

Gudrun Lang

 

Histo-BMA

Linz, Austria