Fixation (histology) - Target and Chemical Fixative Do's and Don'ts

Target and Chemical Fixative Do's and Don'ts

Target Fixative of Choice Fixative to Avoid
Proteins Neutral Buffered Formalin, Paraformaldehyde Osmium Tetroxide
Enzymes Frozen Sections Chemical Fixatives
Lipids Frozen Sections*, Glutaraldehyde/Osmium Tetroxide Alcoholic fixatives, Neutral Buffered Formalin
Nucleic Acids Alcoholic fixatives, HOPE Aldehyde fixatives
Mucopolysaccharides Frozen Sections Chemical fixatives
Biogenic Amines Bouin Solution~, Neutral Buffered Formalin
Glycogen Alcoholic based fixatives Osmium Tetroxide
  • Frozen Sections preserve RNA and Lipids despite poor morphology. Compare to Paraffin sections, synonymous to Chemical Fixatives in the table, which destroy RNA and affect some antigens BUT give good morphology.

~ A picrate

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