title: Microwave fixation provides excellent preservation of tissue, cells and antigens for light and electron microscopy.
abstract: It was demonstrated that microwave energy used simultaneously in combination with low concentrations of glutaraldehyde (0.05%) and formaldehyde (2.0%) rapidly preserved light microscopic histology and excellent fine structural details, as well as a variety of cytoplasmic and membrane-bound antigens. Specimen blocks up to 1 cm3 can be fixed in as brief a time as 26 ms using a specially designed microwave device (ultrafast microwave fixation method). The fast microwave fixation method, using a commercially available device, was successfully used to preserve granule-bound rat mast cell chymase which was subsequently detected by a postembedding immunogold procedure. Control of the following parameters is important to the microwave fixation method: (1) specimens with one dimension less than 1 cm; (2) irradiation temperatures lower than 50 degrees C; (3) irradiation times less than 50 s; (4) immediate replacement of the postirradiation solution with cold storage buffer; (5) fixing the specimen within 15 min after it is removed from its blood supply.
authors: Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts 02215.
authors: G R
authors: GR
authors: Login
authors: A M
authors: AM
authors: Dvorak
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000941:Antigens / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D006652:Histological Techniques; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008099:Liver / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008297:Male; D008407:Mast Cells / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008854:Microscopy, Electron / Q000379:methods; D008872:Microwaves; D009206:Myocardium / Q000648:ultrastructure; D012867:Skin / Q000166:cytology; D013194:Staining and Labeling; D014021:Tissue Preservation / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D000941:Antigens