[Histonet] Fixing whole testes

[Hobbs, Carl]

My sincere apologies...I left the HTML option on, for the 1st post.



I would immediately bisect them longitudinally with a sharp blade, then continue to fix for at least two days ( length of fixation time is irrelevant for anatomical purposes).
You should have done much earlier ( sure, you run the risk of loss of anatomical relationships but.....I can't see what choice you have, given the size of the tissues.
I am always interested in others' views.
Yes and, fix on a rocker roller at RT.
A faster penetration fixing fluid would have been better....you would have to test a few, under your conditions.
NB: Formalin penetrates a 1cm cube of gelatin 250mm in 24hrs so, penetration through a dense heterogeneous tissue, especially the initital penetration of the T albuginea, will be much slower, allowing for autolytic ( necrotic, really, as the tissue is dead) changes towards the centre of the tissue.

Best wishes,

Carl

Carl Hobbs FIBMS
Histology and Imaging Manager
Wolfson CARD
Guys Campus, London Bridge 
Kings College London
London
SE1 1UL

020 7848 6813