[Histonet] Bone samples long-term storage in 10% formalin or 4% paraformaldehyde

[Orla M Gallagher]

Dear Histonetters,

What is your opinion on storing bone samples long-term (more than a couple
of weeks) in 10% formalin? As I was taught, best practice has always been
to fix only as long as necessary, depending on the size of the sample, then
decalcify and process to wax, and I always stress this to everyone I advise.

However, research colleagues sometimes wish to do histology on bone samples
that have been stored for months ..or even years! As the formalin pH
becomes more acidic, there is formalin pigment and the immunoreactivity and
TRAP enzyme activity is diminished or destroyed during long fixation, is
there any way of minimising this e.g. has anyone tried regularly replacing
the old formalin with fresh buffered formalin, or storing formalin-fixed
bones in any other medium? I'm also interested in how best to fix in 4%
paraformaldehyde and whether the problems are the same with long-term
storage.

Thanks for your comments.

All the best,
Orla

-- 
**************************
Ms. Orla Gallagher
Bone Analysis Laboratory
Mellanby Centre for Bone Research
Department of Human Metabolism
D Floor Medical School
University of Sheffield
Beech Hill Road
Sheffield
S10 2RX
UK

Website: http://mellanbycentre.dept.shef.ac.uk

Tel:         0044114-2713337 (office)
              0044114-2713174 (lab)
E-Mail:    o.m.gallagher <@t> sheffield.ac.uk


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