...rather than electrostatic attraction only.  Thank you.

Alex K

At 10:12 30/08/02 -0300, Emmanuel Maicas wrote:
>It basically fixes the surface layer of tissue, thus coagulating the ink
>with the serum proteins. Formalin does the same thing but more slowly. I
>never use these solutions because it introduces a lot of acid in the final
>fixative (phosphate-buffered formalin), which does not have enough buffering
>capacity to neutralize it (measure the pH the next morning!). I suspect this
>acid is a source of variation in IHC staining for estrogen receptors in
>breast cancer. I simply ink and blot dry with several changes of gauze or
>paper towel before cutting the tissue - works well! It also eliminates the
>problem of storing picric acid powder.
>Emmanuel Maicas, Pathologist in Moncton, Canada
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Alex Knisely [mailto:alex.knisely@kcl.ac.uk]
>Sent: Friday, August 30, 2002 4:26 AM
>To: HistoNet Server
>Subject: How does acid alcohol / picric acid "set" ink on tissue?
>
>
>Mechanism question, with some background in the text below:
>
>Through what steps does immersion in Bouin's fluid (with picric acid) or
>acid alcohol "set" India ink, or other cutting-in station coloured inks,
>onto tissues?
>
>Somehow I expect that Dr Monson will have this information at his fingers'
>tips.
>
>Best thanks for any replies
>
>Alex K
>
>>X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft Exchange V6.0.5762.3
>>Subject: RE: Thanks --
>>Date: Thu, 29 Aug 2002 14:23:07 -0400
>>X-MS-Has-Attach:
>>X-MS-TNEF-Correlator:
>>Thread-Topic: Thanks --
>>Thread-Index: AcJPJPuUDgzjQGGfRA2rC8npv5OVmQAY2Cmw
>>From: "Smith, Allen" 
>>To: "Alex Knisely" 
>>X-MailScanner: Found to be clean
>>
>>The principal active ingredient in Bouin's fluid is picric acid, which is
>>mostly ionized above
>>pH 2.  In some cases picric acid does act as a mordant.  I don't think it
>>does in this case.  "Mordanting" implies a particular mechanism; I use the
>>word only where there is evidence for such a mechanism.
>>
>>Allen A. Smith, Ph.D.
>>Barry University
>>School of Graduate Medical Sciences
>>    Podiatric Medicine and Surgery
>>Miami Shores, Florida  33161-6695
>>
>>-----Original Message-----
>>From: Alex Knisely [mailto:alex.knisely@kcl.ac.uk]
>>Sent: Thursday, August 29, 2002 2:25 AM
>>To: Smith, Allen
>>Subject: Thanks --
>>
>>
>>-- is it thus wrong to write (or as I do to dictate during gross
>>descriptions) "The resection margins are inked black and the ink is
>>mordanted in Bouin's fluid / acid alcohol"?
>>
>>Alex K
>>
>>At 12:23 28/08/02 -0400, you wrote:
>>>   A mordant is an ion,  almost always metallic, that binds to something
>in
>>>the tissue and to the  dye.  a dye  molecule that binds to the mordant or
>>>directly to a part of the  tissue.   Allen A. Smith, Ph.D.
>>>Barry University
>>>School of Graduate Medical  Sciences
>>>    Podiatric Medicine and Surgery
>>>  33161-6695     -----Original Message-----
>>>From: kevin williams    [mailto:akwilliams75@hotmail.com]
>>>Sent: Wednesday, August 28, 2002    11:23 AM
>>>To: HistoNet Server
>>>Subject: The difference    between a Mordant and an Auxocrome
>>>
>>>          are they one    in the same.    Thanks for all your help Kev.
>>>   Get more from the Web. FREE MSN Explorer download :
>>http://explorer.msn.com
>>>
>>>
>>Alex Knisely, MD
>>Consultant Histopathologist
>>
>>alex.knisely@kcl.ac.uk
>>
>>Institute of Liver Studies
>>King's College Hospital
>>Denmark Hill
>>London  SE5 9RS  UK
>>
>>+44 (0)20 - 7346 - 3125 telefax
>>+44 (0)20 - 7346 - 4627 office
>>
>Alex Knisely, MD
>Consultant Histopathologist
>
>alex.knisely@kcl.ac.uk
>
>Institute of Liver Studies
>King's College Hospital
>Denmark Hill
>London  SE5 9RS  UK
>
>+44 (0)20 - 7346 - 3125 telefax
>+44 (0)20 - 7346 - 4627 office
>
>
>
>
Alex Knisely, MD
Consultant Histopathologist

alex.knisely@kcl.ac.uk
 
Institute of Liver Studies
King's College Hospital
Denmark Hill
London  SE5 9RS  UK
 
+44 (0)20 - 7346 - 3125 telefax
+44 (0)20 - 7346 - 4627 office