[Histonet] Does Formalin fixed frozen sections for antibodies need to be kept frozen?

[Rene J Buesa]

The antigen in sections, either from FFPE or frozen, kept at room temperature will lose their signal in 1-2 weeks.
The thing is that you do not need to formalin fix frozen sections. I have kept FS at -80ºC for many years and have used them successfully in antigen detection. Further more, those FS do not need HIER because they were not formalin fixed and the antigens have not been cross-linked.
A different thing will be if the FS were done on already formalin fixed tissues, although that is not frequently done.
In the event that the FS were from formalin fixed tissues they will need HIER but probably you will lose a great majority of the sections during the process. Because of that antigen in FS should be "reactivated" either enzymatically or do HIER at low temp during more time.
René J.

From: Hans B Snyder <hans <@t> histologistics.com>
To: histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu 
Sent: Friday, December 14, 2012 10:39 AM
Subject: [Histonet] Does Formalin fixed frozen sections for antibodies need to be kept frozen?

Hello I am working at a research facility that has thousands of formalin
fixed frozen heart sections in their freezers.  They have been led to
believe that this is necessary for their antibodies to work.  I do not
believe this is the case.  Does anyone know of antibodies that will lose
their antigenicity if stored at room temp?

Thanks

-- 
Hans B Snyder
Histologistics
100 Barber Ave
Worcester, MA 01606
508-308-7800
hans <@t> histologistics.com <haqns <@t> histologistics.com>
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