title: Silver-stained structures (AgNORs), their dependence on tissue fixation and absence of prognostic relevance in rectal adenocarcinoma.
abstract: The value of a one-stage silver staining technique for nucleolar organizer region (NOR)-associated protein was investigated as a predictor of clinical outcome in 100 rectal adenocarcinomas. In formalin-fixed tissues, a variety of silver-stained structures ranging from 0.5 to 7 microns are seen, the abundance of which bears no relation to prognosis, cell proliferation, or ploidy. Evidence is presented that the silver-stained structures are the result of coalescence of smaller particles caused by formalin fixation, and that assessment of NOR activity is not reliable in routinely formalin-fixed archival tissues.
authors: Department of Pathology, University of Leeds, U.K.
authors: A P
authors: AP
authors: Griffiths
authors: C W
authors: CW
authors: Butler
authors: P
authors: P
authors: Roberts
authors: M F
authors: MF
authors: Dixon
authors: P
authors: P
authors: Quirke
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D005404:Fixatives; D005557:Formaldehyde; D006801:Humans; D009697:Nucleolus Organizer Region / Q000473:pathology*; D011379:Prognosis; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D012835:Silver Nitrate; D013194:Staining and Labeling
chemical_list: D005404:Fixatives; D005557:Formaldehyde; D012835:Silver Nitrate