Abstract
HISTOCHEMICAL fluorescence experiments, using the modifications1,2 of the formaldehyde condensation procedure described by Falck et al.3, are increasingly common. The procedures for demonstrating monoamines in freeze-dried tissue, require that the sections cut from formaldehyde gas-treated tissue be kept away from water, and so the conventional heated water bath for relaxing the cut paraffin sections cannot be used. Acetonitrile4 and liquid paraffin5 have been utilized and some laboratories even use a heated mercury bath (S. Norr, personal communication), although what is desired is a very non-reactive liquid. ‘Fluorinert Electronic Liquids FC-75, FC-77’ (3M Company, St Paul, Minnesota 55101) adequately replace the water bath. At 45° C these two clear liquids allow cut sections to be handled in the same manner as in the conventional water bath. Other liquids in this series can probably be chosen to give similar characteristics at other bath temperatures, although they have not been tried. A bath with intermediate qualities could be made as the liquids in the series are completely miscible with one another. The ‘Fluorinert Electronic Liquids’ are stated by their manufacturer to be very non-reactive and to have very low water and oil solubilities. The inertness of these liquids suggests that they may also be used to float sections as they are cut, and to immerse freeze-dried tissue for storage.
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References
Dahlstrom, A., and Fuxe, K., Acta Physiol. Scand., 62 (suppl. 232), 1 (1965).
Bjorklund, A., and Falck, B., J. Histochem. Cytochem., 16, 717 (1968).
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Sweeney, D. C., Comp. Biochem. Physiol., 25, 602 (1968).
Falck, B., and Owman, C., Acta Univ. Lund, II, 7, 1 (1965).
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CHEN, VH. New Method for Relaxing Paraffin Sections in Histochemical Fluorescence Experiments. Nature New Biology 236, 63 (1972). https://doi.org/10.1038/newbio236063a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/newbio236063a0