Alcohol/Xylene: The Unlikely Fixative/Dehydrant/Clearant

Abstract

The combination of 10% formalin as the primary fixative and graded alcohol as the dehydrant has been routinely accepted since tissue processors were developed, but times have changed. The modern histology laboratory requires better fixation, dehydration, clearing, wax infiltration, sectioning, antigen preservation, and microscopic resolution. It also calls for increase productivity with reduced costs, protection of the environment, and recycling of reagents whenever possible. A mixture of alcohol and xylene as a secondary fixative and as the primary dehydrant in tissue processors accomplishes all this and more in one step. In addition, the resulting blocks and sections are superior to formalin fixed, graded alcohol processed blocks and sections if tissues are first fixed in a modification of formal acetic acid alcohol and processed according to this described protocol. (The J Histotechnol 23:45, 2000)

Keywords:

• antigen preservation
• infiltration
• tissue processing