[Histonet] Staining Controls

[Rene J Buesa]

You are completely right in what you have written.
Internal controls are even better for IHC because the epitope signal is "normal" and better for the selection of dilution rather than using a pathological example that probably has a stronger signal and will determine a higher dilution.
As to buying controls it is, for me, a waste of money. The control has to be selected and accepted by the pathologists, and that is more than enough.
The thing is that, whatever you do, and however you do it, just write it in detail in your SOP and that, after being signed off by the lab director, is more than enough.
René J.

--- On Tue, 5/5/09, Joseph Saby <saby_joseph_a <@t> yahoo.com> wrote:

From: Joseph Saby <saby_joseph_a <@t> yahoo.com>
Subject: [Histonet] Staining Controls
To: histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
Date: Tuesday, May 5, 2009, 7:39 PM

Hello to Histoland-

I have a question concerning staining controls.

I am currently working for a GLP/GMP lab.  Their use of staining controls
requires the purchase of said controls from sources such as Histology Controls
Systems (TM) where the manufacturer certifies that these controls are effective
controls for the stain for which they are listed.

Now, call me old school, but it has always seemed to me that many controls have
internal control structures.  For instance, it seems superfluous to have a
myelin control for a Luxol Fast Blue/PAS stain.  Or perhaps muscle (cardiac or
skeletal) for a Masson's Trichrome.  Arterial wall for a Verheoff's
Elastin stain.  Etc. 

Where I have worked in the past, we were always looking for excellent examples
of tissue samples which exemplified excellent staining for control slides
for specifc stains.  My manager does not have a background in histology or
pathology, and this concept is new to her.  Since she keeps a sharp eye on the
bottom line, and staining control slides are ridiculously expensive, she is open
to the suggestion that our lab should use our own control slides.  However, she
feels I should seek outside opinions/testimonials about the certification
process for said "house" controls, especially as this process relates
to a GLP/GMP facility.

This question should be good for a healthy debate.  I look forward to the
coming suggestions!

Joe Saby, BA, HT(ASCP)
Supervisor of Histology
NAMSA, Northwood Ohio



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