Summary
Picric acid-formaldehyde (PAF) fixative has been compared to other fixatives commonly employed in electron microscopy in order to check its ability to be used in immunoferritin studies. From the results obtained PAF seems to offer very good preservation of the tissue fine structure together with satisfactory detection of immune reactions at ultrastructural level.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Andres, G. A., Hsu, K. C., Seegal, B. C.: Immunologic techniques for the identification of antigens or antibodies by electron microscopy. In: Handbook of experimental immunology, chap. 34. Oxford: Blackwell Sci. Publ. 1973
De Martino, C., Stefanini, M., Bellocci, M., Quintarelli, G.: Osmium tetroxide-picric acid: a new fixation technique in electron microscopy. J. submicr. Cytol. 4, 111–112 (1972)
Dreskin, R. B., Spicer, S. S., Greene, W. B.: Ultrastructural localization of chorionic gonadotropin in human term placenta. J. Histochem. Cytochem. 18, 862–874 (1970)
Karlsson, U., Schultz, R. L.: Fixation of the central nervous system for electron microscopy by aldehyde perfusion. I. Preservation with aldehyde perfusates versus direct perfusion with osmium tetroxide with special reference to membranes and the extracellular space. J. Ultrastruct. Res. 12, 160–186 (1965)
Kawarai, Y., Nakane, P. K.: Localization of tissue antigens on the ultrathin sections with peroxidase-labeled antibody method. J. Histochem. Cytochem. 18, 161–166 (1970)
Masurkiewicz, J. E., Nakane, P. K.: Light and electron microscopic localization of antigens in tissue embedded in polyethylene glycol with a peroxidase labeled antibody method. J. Histochem. Cytochem. 20, 969–974 (1972)
Millonig, G.: Advantages of a phosphate buffer for OsO4 solution in fixation. J. appl. Physiol. 32, 1637–1640 (1961)
Moriarty, G. C., Halmi, N. S.: Electron microscopic study of the adrenocorticotropin-producing cell with the use of unlabeled antibody and the soluble peroxidase-antiperoxidase complex. J. Histochem. Cytochem. 20, 590–603 (1972)
Nakane, P. K.: Classification of anterior pituitary cell types with immunoenzyme histochemistry. J. Histochem. Cytochem. 18, 9–20 (1970)
Stefanini, M., De Martino, C., Zamboni, L.: Fixation of ejaculated spermatozoa for electron microscopy. Nature (Lond.) 216, 173–174 (1967)
Strauss, A. J. L., Seegal, B. C., Hsu, K. C., Burkholder, P. M., Nastuk, W. L., Osserman, K. E.: Immunofluorescence demonstration of a muscle binding, complement fixing serum globulin fraction in myasthenia gravis. Proc. Soc. exp. Biol. (N. Y.) 105, 184–191 (1960)
Zamboni, L., De Martino, C.: Buffered picric acid-formaldehyde: a new, rapid fixative for electron microscopy. J. Cell Biol. 35, 148a (1967)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
This investigation was supported by Grants CT 72.00900.04, 73.00449.04, 73.00550.04, from the Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Italy; and by United States Public Health Service Grants AM-13200 and AM-14928.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Accinni, L., Hsu, K.C., Spiele, H. et al. Picric acid-formaldehyde fixation for immunoferritin studies. Histochemistry 42, 257–264 (1974). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00492658
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00492658