title: A simple preservative for flow cytometric DNA analysis.
abstract: A solution containing citric acid buffered saline (CABS) and 99% ethanol (E) 1:1 was used for preserving cells for flow cytometric DNA analysis. DNA histograms obtained from fine needle biopsy aspirates and preserved in CABS+E had a similar mean coefficient of variation (CV) as was obtained from aspirates taken in CABS (3.3 vs. 3.4%) and a clearly smaller mean CV than was obtained from aspirates preserved in 50% ethanol (mean 4.8%, P less than .0001). Aspirates taken in CABS more often contained a small (less than 3,000) number of cells as compared with aspirates preserved either in CABS+E or ethanol (P less than .0001). Since preservation of cells in CABS+E allows long-term storage of samples and results in a decreased number of insufficient samples as compared with buffered saline and in an enhanced resolution as compared with 50% ethanol, CABS+E is recommended for preservation of cytological samples to be analyzed for DNA content with flow cytometry.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Turku, Finland.
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Alanen
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Klemi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Taimela
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Joensuu
mesh_terms: D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D004247:DNA / Q000032:analysis*; D000431:Ethanol; D005434:Flow Cytometry / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000032:analysis; D012965:Sodium Chloride
chemical_list: D000431:Ethanol; D012965:Sodium Chloride; D004247:DNA