[Histonet] Re: Acetone Fixation

[Johnson, Teri]

Atoska Gentry asked:
hello, if any of you have acetone fixation incorporated into you frozen
section H& E staining protocol will you please advise me on adjustments
necessary for routine staining protocol. Also, out of curiosity please
enlighten me on the purpose for post sectioning acetone fixation on
tissue samples  initially fixed in   95% ETOH/ Acetic Acid? Your prompt
replies will be greatly appreciated. ~ Atoska

Several thoughts come to mind.

Acetone fixation is usually used only for preserving antigenicity on fresh frozen tissue samples. For slides needing H&E I would use a formalin fixative prior to the H&E procedure for fresh frozen tissues. Acetone fixed H&E stained cryosections are uuuuuuugly.

You should not be doing frozen sections on tissues initially fixed in alcohol. Alcohol is an anti-freeze and you will not get good freezing/sectioning of the samples. You can section unfixed samples and then fix after mounting on glass slides in the Alcohol/acetic acid fix.

Teri Johnson, HT(ASCP)QIHC
Managing Director, Histology Facility
Stowers Institute for Medical Research
Kansas City, MO