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Fixatives used in histopathology
This document discusses fixatives used in histopathology. It describes the process of fixation and how fixatives preserve tissue by denaturing or precipitating proteins. The ideal properties of a fixative are described, including preventing autolysis and allowing for staining. Common fixatives are classified and their mechanisms and uses are explained. Factors that affect fixation such as temperature, size, volume ratio, time, choice of fixative, and penetration are also summarized.
Fixatives used in histopathology
- 1. FIXATIVES USED IN HISTOPATHOLOGY SUBMITTED TO:- Dr. D. V. Joshi Professor & Head Dept. of Veterinary pathology College of veterinary science & A. H. S. K. Nagar SUBMITTED BY:- Dr. Hitendra B. Prajapati M. V. Sc Scholar Dept. of Veterinary Surgery & Radiology Dr.V.M.Jhala Clinical Complex,Deesa SDAU-Dantiwada
- 2. Fixation This isthe process by which the constituents of cells and tissue are fixed in a physical and chemical state so that they will withstand subsequent treatment with various reagents with minimum loss of architecture .This is achieved by exposing the tissue to chemical compounds, call fixatives.
- 3. The purposeof fixation is to preserve tissues permanently in as life-like a state as possible. The fixative should be 15 – 20 times more in volume then the specimen.
- 4. Mechanism of actionof fixatives Most fixatives act by denaturing or precipitating proteins which then form a sponge or meshwork, tending to hold the other constituents.
- 5. Aims of Fixation: 1. It should prevent autolysis & putrefaction of the cell. 2. It should penetrate evenly and rapidly. 3. It should harden the tissues 4. Increase the optical density 5. Should not cause shrinkage or swelling of the cells 6. Must not react with the receptor sites & thus must not interefere with the staining procedure. 7. It must be cheap and easily available.
- 6. Contin….. Good fixativeis most important factors in the production of satisfactory results in histopathology. Following factors are important: Fresh tissue Proper penetration of tissue by fixatives Correct choice of fixatives
- 7. Contin…. No fixativewill penetrate a piece of tissue thicker than 1 cm. For dealing with specimen thicker than this, following methods are recommended: 1.Solid organ: Cut slices as necessary as but not thicker than 5 mm.
- 8. Continu…. 2.Hollow organ: Either open or fill with fixative or pack lightly with wool soaked in fixative. 3.Large specimen: It requires dissection, Inject fixative along the vessels or bronchi as in case of lung so that it reaches all parts of the organs.
- 9. Properties of anIdeal Fixative Prevents autolysis and bacterial decomposition. Preserves tissue in their natural state and fix all components. Make the cellular components insoluble to reagent used in tissue processing. Preserves tissue volume.
- 10. Properties of anIdeal Fixative • Avoid excessive hardness of tissue. • Allows enhanced staining of tissue. • Should be non-toxic and non-allergic for user. • Should not be very expensive.
- 11. Methods of fixation:- Heat fixation Perfusion Immersion Vapour method Phase partition method
- 14. Classification of Fixatives:- 1)Physicalfixative Heat Freezing 2)Chemical fixatives
- 15. Chemical Fixatives Simple Fixatives Compound Fixatives Formaline Mercuric chloride Osmic acid Microanatomical Cytological Histochemical Picric acid Formal Saline Cold acetone Acetone Neutral buffer Formaline Ethanol Ethyle alchohol Zenker’s fluid Osmium tetroxide Bouin’s fluid Osmic acid Nuclear Cytoplasmic Carnoy’s Fluid Champy’s Fluid
- 16. Simple Fixatives Formalin The most commonly used fixative is Formalin . It is prepared by mixing 40 % Formaldehyde gas in 100 w/v of distilled water. The resultant mixture is 100 % Formalin. Routinely, 10 % formalin is used which is prepared by mixing 10 ml of 100 % formalin in 90 ml of distilled water.
- 17. MECHANISM OF ACTION It forms cross links between amino acids of proteins thereby making them insoluble. It fixes 4 mm thick tissue in 8 hours .
- 18. ADVANTAGES : 1. Rapid penetration 2. Easy availability & cheap 3. Does not overharden the tissue 4. Fixes lipids for frozen sections 5. Ideal for mailing DISADVANTAGES: 1. Irritant to the nose,the eyes and mucous membranes 2. Formation of precipitate of paraformaldehyde which can be prevented by adding 11- 16 % methanol. 3. Formation of black formalin pigment , Acid formaldehyde hematin.
- 19. Other Simple Fixatives Glutaraldehyde Osmium Tetraoxide Pottasium Dichromate Mercuric Chloride
- 20. Other Simple Fixatives(contd.) Picric acid Zenker's fluid Zenker’s Formal (Helly’s Fluid) Bouin’s Fluid
- 21. Compound Fixatives • Microanatomicalfixatives: These are used to preserve the anatomy of the tissue. • Cytological fixatives: These are used to fix intracellular structures. • Histochemical fixatives : These are used to demonstrate the chemical constituents of the cell.
- 22. • Microanatomical Fixatives •10 % Formal saline : It is a microanatomical fixative. Ideal for fixation of brain. • Buffered formalin: Due to the presence of buffer, the pH of the solution remains at neutral or near neutral. As a result, Formalin pigment formation doesn’t take place.
- 23. • Cytological Fixatives Nuclearfixatives : Carnoy’s Fluid Clarke’s Fluid Newcomer’s Fluid Flemming’s Fluid Cytoplasmic Fixatives : Champy’s Fluid Regaud’s Fluid
- 24. • Histochemical Fixatives: Formal saline Cold acetone Absolute alcohol
- 25. Composition of Fixatives:- 1-FormalinSolution (10%, unbuffered): Formaldehyde (37-40%) - 10 ml Distilled water - 90 ml Mix well. 2-Formalin Solution (10%, buffered neutral): Formaldehyde (37-40%) - 100 ml Distilled water - 900 ml NaH2PO4 - 4.0 g Na2HPO4 (anhydrous) - 6.5 g Mix to dissolve.
- 26. 3-Zenker's Solution-fixation time4-24 hours. Distilled water - 950ml Potassium dichromate - 25g Mercuric chloride - 50g Glacial acetic acid - 50g Fixed tissue should be washed overnight in running tap water before processing. 4-Bouin's fluid - fixation time 6 hours. Saturated aqueous solution of picric acid - 75ml Formalin (~ 40% aqueous solution of formaldehyde) - 25ml Glacial acetic acid - 5ml Fixed tissue should be transferred to 70% alcohol.
- 27. 5-Carnoy's fluid -fixation time 1-3 hours. Ethanol - 60ml Chloroform - 30ml Glacial acetic acid - 10ml Fixed tissue should be processed immediately or transferred to 80% alcohol. 6-Champy’s fluid – fixation time 12-24 hours. Methanol, absolute - 60.0 ml Chloroform - 30.0 ml Glacial acetic acid - 10.0 ml
- 28. 6-Helly's fluid -fixation time 12-24 hours. Potassium dichromate - 25g Mercuric chloride - 50g Sodium sulphate - 10g Distilled water - 1000ml Stock solution - 100ml Formalin (~ 40% aqueous solution of formaldehyde) - 5ml
- 29. 7-Susa Solution: Stock SolutionA: Mercuric chloride ----------------------- 4.5 g Sodium chloride ------------------------- 0.5 g Trichloracetic acid ---------------------- 2 g Distilled water --------------------------- 80 ml Stock Solution B: Glacial acetic acid ---------------------- 4 ml Formaldehyde (37-40%) ---------------- 20 ml Mix Solution A and B. For hard tissues such as inner ear with excellent penetration and little shrinkage.
- 30. Factors affecting fixation:- 1- Temperature • Affects the morphology of the tissue. • For electron microscopy and some histochemical procedures, the temperature for fixation is usually 0-4 C. • It will increase the rate of penetration • It will also increase the rate of autolysis and diffusion of cellular components.
- 31. 2 - Size •Ideal size of the tissue should be 3mm. 3 - Volume ratio • Volume of fixative is at least 15 to 20 times greater than volume of tissue. 4 – Time • Minimum fixation time for 5mm tissue is 12hrs. • For electron microscopy sliced tissue is preserved for 3 hrs in 3% glutaraldehyde. • prolonged fixation in aldehydes can cause shrinkage and hardening of tissue and severe inhibition of enzyme activity.
- 32. Autolyzed Small intestine Smallintestine well preserved CarsonBook,Page5,Image1-2 Notice how is missing the epithelium
- 33. 5 - Choiceof fixatives • The method of fixation should be selected immediately once the specimen is presented. • For Gout a fixative of choice is absolute alcohol. • Electron Microscopy – the choice is Gluteraldehyde. Solutions Colors Tissues Zenker’s fluid Orange Bone Marrow Biopsies Helly’s fluid Orange Bone Marrow Aspirates B-5 Transparent Bone Marrow Cores and Tumors Bouin’s fluid Yellow GI Biopsies Hollande’s fluid Green Small tissue Orth’s fluid Orange Decals and Bones Adrenal Medulla
- 34. Solutions Colors Tissues Zamboni’s Yellow EM Fixatives Carnoy’s Clear Nuclear Fixatives 10% Formalin Clear Routine 10% Formal saline Clear Routine Neutral buffer formalin Clear Prevent Pigments Formalin ammonium Clear Brain Tissues Bromide Clear EM Specimen 10% Formal Alcohol Flemming’s Clear EM Specimen Gluteraldehyde Clear EM Specimen Clear EM Specimen Schaudinn’s
- 35. 6 - Penetration •Fixatives penetrate the tissue at different rates. • The tissue is fixed starting at the periphery of the tissue and working inward toward the center of the tissue.
- 36. 7- Tissue Storage •Storing wet tissue is very important because often the tissue is needed for further studies. • Tissue fixed in Neutral buffered Formalin are usually safe to use. • Non fix tissue may remain in 70% methyl alcohol. 8 - pH • The pH should be kept in the physiological range, between pH 4-9. • If formalin is allowed to fall to a lower pH this can produce formalin pigments. • In electron microscopy it is very important. • The pH for the ultrastructural preservation of great specimen the fixative should be buffered between 7.2 to 7.4.
- 37. 9 - Osmolality •The addition of a buffer to the fixative solution may alter the osmotic pressure exerted by the solution. • Hypertonic solutions give rise to cell shrinkage whereas hypotonic and isotonic fixatives result in cell swelling and poor fixation. • With electron microscopy, the best results are obtained using slightly hypertonic solutions (isotonic solutions being 340 mOsm) adjusted using sucrose.
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