[Histonet] Saponin

[Tench, Bill]

Lots of blood can be a problem in cyto specimens, especially smears.  If
you are making smears from fresh specimens in particular you may elute
the obscuring hemoglobin by dipping the smear directly in acid alcohol
(i think 5% hcl-95% etoh).  We do this frequently for CT guided FNA's
(particularly of the liver and thyroid, which tend to be bloody).  We
also do this "post facto" on those smears even when they have already
been stained with H and E.  The red cell stroma disappears into the
background).  Just lift the coverslip and back up to 95%, use acid
alcohol ( i think it is sold on the commercial market as
"differentiating agent"), and then start staining process all over.
With fresh specimens you can see the hemoglobin elute from the surface
while you dip the slide.  We typically go back into regular 95% Etoh
just to get rid of the acid background (effects the blueing down the
line).
 
Bill Tench
Associate Dir. Laboratory Services
Chief, Cytology Services
Palomar Medical Center
555 E. Valley Parkway
Escondido, California  92025
Bill.Tench <@t> pph.org
Voice: 760- 739-3037
Fax: 760-739-2604
 

[None] made the following annotations
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Confidential E-Mail: This e-mail is intended only for the person or entity to which it is addressed, and may contain information that is privileged, confidential, or otherwise protected from disclosure. Dissemination, distribution, or copying of this e-mail or the information herein by anyone other than the intended recipient is prohibited. If you have received this e-mail in error, please notify the sender by reply e-mail, and destroy the original message and all copies. 
---------------------------------------------------------------------