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Antigen preservation in microwave‐irradiated tissues: A comparison with formaldehyde fixation
Author(s) -
Leong Anthony S.Y.,
Milios Jim,
Duncis Craig G.
Publication year - 1988
Publication title -
the journal of pathology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.964
H-Index - 184
eISSN - 1096-9896
pISSN - 0022-3417
DOI - 10.1002/path.1711560402
Subject(s) - antigen , fixation (population genetics) , immunostaining , antigen retrieval , pathology , staining , biology , microbiology and biotechnology , immunohistochemistry , fixative , chemistry , immunology , biochemistry , medicine , gene
A wide range of immunoreactive antigens commonly investigated in diagnostic pathology were evaluated in tissues subjected to fixation by microwave irradiation in normal saline to 63°C. All of the 23 antigens studied were well preserved and compared with corresponding tissues conventionally fixed by formaldehyde for periods of 16 and 18 h, respectively, immunostaining in microwave‐irradiated tissues was clearly superior, being more intense and also more extensive. Proteolytic digestion was not necessary for irradiated tissues except for the staining of cytokeratins and desmin. It was also possible to stain for Leu‐14 (CD22) and Leu‐1 (CD5), whereas these lymphocyte antigens were lost during formaldehyde fixation. Cytomorphological details were well preserved in the rapidly‐fixed irradiated tissues.