That's correct, Fred.  I don't recall every having to transfer tissue from
zinc formalin into NBF; however, zinc phosphate is insoluble in water at
neutral pH.  Therefore introducing phosphate ions into a system which
already contains free zinc ions will result in precipitation of solid zinc
phosphate, in this case within the tissue specimen.  All unbound zinc should
be washed out of the tissue before placing the tissue in a
phosphate-buffered solution. This would include not only NBF but also PBS or
other phosphate-based buffers.

> ----------
> From: 	histonet-bounces@lists.utsouthwestern.edu on behalf of Fred
> Underwood
> Sent: 	Thursday, January 26, 2006 7:52 AM
> To: 	laurie.colbert@huntingtonhospital.com;
> histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu
> Subject: 	Re: [Histonet] Zinc Formalin
> 
> It's been a few years since I've worked with zinc formalin.  But if my
> memory serves me right (ha ha), you should wash the tissue thoroughly
> befoe going back into 10%NBF.  Something about the compatibility of zinc
> with the phosphate buffer.
> 
> Fred
> 
> >>> "Laurie Colbert"  01/24/06
> 06:12PM >>>
> Our formalin supplier mistakenly shipped us pre-filled containers
> containing zinc formalin instead of 10% NBF.  Before I noticed this,
> three cases had been distributed throughout the hospital (most likely to
> Surgery).  So, how is this going to affect my tissue?  Is there any
> post-treatment (such as removing mercury pigment on B-5 fixed tissue)
> that I need to perform?
> 
> Thanks in advance for any info you can provide.
> 
> Laurie Colbert 
> 
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