title: Present status of estrogen-receptor cytochemistry and its application in breast cancer research.
abstract: Estradiol-BSA-FITC is an hydrophilic macromolecular analog used as a cytochemical marker of estrogen-binding sites. Because of the size of the molecule it seems that the reaction must be carried out on fresh-frozen cryostat sections. The freezing technique affects stainability, even as the freezing temperature. Post-fixation is used or not; the influence of various fixatives is variously interpreted. Thawing of the sections influences the intensity and localization of fluorescence. The concentration of E-BSA-FITC in the incubation medium plays a major role in the binding capacity of estrogen-receptors (ER). Fluorescence involves cytoplasm and/or the nucleus. The specificity of labelling on control sections by different methods of inhibition is variously appreciated. The threshold of ER-positivity varies from 10 to 90% of the cells. Standardization of the procedure, if possible, is highly desirable as much as the interpretation rules of the results.
mesh_terms: D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000032:analysis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D005260:Female; D005404:Fixatives; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D005615:Freezing; D006651:Histocytochemistry / Q000379:methods*; D006728:Hormones / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D005404:Fixatives; D006728:Hormones; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen