Dear Paula,
Whenever I have had this problem I find that it is due to one of the
following:
1.	Someone has tampered with the tissue processing schedule.
2.	The solutions on the tissue processor have not been changed when
due.
3.	At dissection the block is too thick then it doesn't process
well.
4.	Inadequate fixation is also a constant problem in these days of
trying to produce results before the specimen has been 	taken out of the
patient.
5.	A poor quality batch formalin may also be the culprit.

The consequences of all these problems are often notice in
immunohistochemistry even though it is not seen in the morphology or
staining.  Immunohistochemistry, and HIER in particular, is not always
very forgiving if the tissue is mistreated.

I have spent days trying to work out why my sections are coming off so I
hope these suggestions help.  They are usually what I find to be the
cause.

Penny Marr


> -----Original Message-----
> From:	Paula Wilder [SMTP:histo20@hotmail.com]
> Sent:	Tuesday, 19 January 1999 13:00
> To:	HistoNet@Pathology.swmed.edu
> Subject:	IHC: ER/PR tissues washing off
>
> Hello Histonet!
>
> Been out of contact with the net for several months, so I hope this
> query is not a recent duplicate.  For some reason, all of a sudden,
> our
> ER and PR tissues have been washing off the slide after antigen
> retrieval using a rice steamer.  We use charged slides.  We have tried
>
> keeping the slides overnight in our incubator oven at 60 degrees.  We
> have thought about incubating the slides in a 75-80 degree oven for a
> shorter period of time, but have not done so yet.
> We have also thought about trying poly-L-lysine slides.  Do you have
> any
> thoughts?  Any information will be very greatly appreciated.  THANK
> YOU!!!!
>
>
> Paula Wilder
> St. Joseph Medical Center
> Towson, MD
>
> ______________________________________________________
> Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com
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