Silver-stained structures (AgNORs), their dependence on tissue fixation and absence of prognostic relevance in rectal adenocarcinoma.
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.
Griffiths
A P
AP
Department of Pathology, University of Leeds, U.K.
Butler
C W
CW
Roberts
P
P
Dixon
M F
MF
Quirke
P
P
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
D005404:Fixatives; D005557:Formaldehyde; D012835:Silver Nitrate