title: A cell-block preparation using glucomannan extracted from Amorphophallus konjac.
abstract: To evaluate a cell-block preparation using glucomannan, which was extracted from Amorphophallus konjac. Ten specimens were centrifuged at 1,500 rpm for 5 minutes, the supernatant was removed; the remnant after the preparation of smear specimens for routine cytological examination was fixed with 20% formalin. The specimen was recentrifuged at 1,500 rpm for 5 minutes, and the supernatant was removed. The residue was resuspended with 2 ml of eosin solution and 1-5 ml of 80% alcohol, and stirred well. After further centrifugation, the supernatant was removed, and one drop of a glucomannan-formalin water solution was added gently. After immersion in methanol for 2 hours, glucomannan is solidified and becomes gelatinous. The obtained cell block was placed in the cassette for the preparation of tissue specimens, dehydrated by the routine method, infiltrated with paraffin, and a paraffin-embedded block was prepared. Thin sections were prepared from the paraffin-embedded cell block, and hematoxylin-eosin (H&E) stain with immunological stains was performed. H&E stain, periodic acid-Schiff reaction, Alcian blue, and immunohistochemical stain were clearly demonstrated.We evaluated a new modality of cell-block preparation using a glucomannan-formalin water solution. We found that the method was easy to perform and thought it could be useful as an alternative technique for cell-block preparations. Thus, this novel technique should find wide application in the future.
authors: Department of Cytopathology, Fujita Health University School of Health Sciences, Toyoake, Aichi, Japan.
authors: Chiyuki
authors: C
authors: Kaneko
authors: Tadao K
authors: TK
authors: Kobayashi
authors: Kiyoshi
authors: K
authors: Hasegawa
authors: Yasuhiro
authors: Y
authors: Udagawa
authors: Muneo
authors: M
authors: Iwai
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D031056:Amorphophallus / Q000737:chemistry*; D002466:Cell Nucleolus / Q000473:pathology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D003584:Cytological Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008351:Mannans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000648:ultrastructure
chemical_list: D008351:Mannans; C022901:(1-6)-alpha-glucomannan