Dear Kathy,
Ethanol produces a different pattern of Chromatin condensation, while this
may not be critical in some instances eg. Fe Def.Anaemia. A or CML, it is
certainly critical for Lymphomas, and comparisons for typing etc. should
always be based upon the same conditions of fixation for diagnostic
purposes( It's a bit like saying that all Pathologist are used to the
morphology of tissues fixed with NBF  when looked at as H&E- but if all
suddenly had to change to a different fixative and and to use Methylene Blue
and Rose Bengal instead of H&E, then not only is the mophology criteria
changed, but so is their entire concept of tissue differentiation.
Additionally, while most cytological Ethanol fixatives are in fact 95%
Ethanol, such a water content will produce severe Water diffraction artifact
during fixation of Air dried peripheral blood smears and Bone Marrows.
Haematologists usually go to great pains to ensure that only Anhydrous
methanol is used for fixation and also as their preferred solvent for their
stain solutions, be they Leishman, Wright, Jenner, Giemsa or May Grunwald.
Mike.
-----Original Message-----
From: KathY Liucci <KathY.Liucci@bannerhealth.com>
To: histomail@netspace.net.au <histomail@netspace.net.au>
Date: Saturday, 16 December 2000 10:40
Subject: Re: Bone Marrow Smears with Wright's




Mike:
I was just curious as to why you said not to use ethanol as a fixative.  I
have pathologists who insisted on only ethanol and others who insist on
methanol.  What is the difference?
Thanks
Kathy Liucci, Mesa AZ

Note:- Under no circumstances rely on the Methanol in your Wright's to carry
out your fixation. Under no circumstances use Ethanol for Fixation.
Yours in Histology,
Mike Rentsch. Australia.