[Histonet] transcardial fixation

[Yves Heremans]

Dear Histonetters,

We routinely perfuse mice with fixative before taking out organs. Perfusion with fixative (4% PFA or 10% NBF) is done for only a few minutes (max. 2 min.). During that short timespan, the entire mouse becomes stiff. Can this stifness be taken as a sign of good initial fixation (we post-fix the organs overnight at room temp) or is this stifness not entirely related to fixation ?

Yves