title: Ultrastructural morphology and allergen detection in birch pollen after aqueous, anhydrous-liquid, and vapor fixation techniques.
abstract: In order to find a good compromise between preservation of ultrastructural morphology and retention of antigenicity, birch pollen grains were chemically fixed in aqueous p-formaldehyde or glutaraldehyde, in p-formaldehyde or glutaraldehyde dissolved in anhydrous glycerol, and in p-formaldehyde or glutaraldehyde vapor. Representative cytoplasmic areas were inspected for the preservation of ultrastructural morphology and for their capacity to bind a monoclonal antibody against Bet v I, the major birch pollen allergen. The experiments showed that cytoplasmic morphology was best preserved after vapor fixation in p-formaldehyde. This fixation also led to the highest degree of specific antibody binding.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Medical Physics, Münster University, Germany.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Grote
mesh_terms: D000485:Allergens / Q000032:analysis*; D005404:Fixatives; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D008867:Microtomy; D016613:Plastic Embedding; D011058:Pollen / Q000276:immunology / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D014197:Trees; D014835:Volatilization; D014867:Water
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D005404:Fixatives; D014867:Water