Question here:  are you trying to see calcium deposits in tissues prepared
for EM??  you mentioned ultrastructure, and neither of the fixatives you
are using are used for EM purposes, there are others far superior for
preservation of ultrastructure, gluteraldehyde or paraformaldehyde, etc.
If you want to save calcium in tissues for paraffin, you can try alcoholic
formalin.   Formalin should not take the calcium deposits out though, and
you can detect tiny calcium deposits with a Von Kossa silver impregnation
stain for calcium in paraffin sections.  Fixatives with acids obviously
will decalcify any tiny deposits you might have. 

Gayle Callis
 

>Date: Tue, 28 Mar 2000 09:22:08 -0500
>From: Gwin Kerce <gkerce@arches.uga.edu>
>Subject: Fixatives for Avian Tissue
>To: histonet@pathology.swmed.edu
>
>Our lab is working on a project that involves locating calcium deposits
>in avian testis.  We have tried to use Bouin's Solution, unfortunately,
>it dissolves the deposits of interest.  We also tried 10% Buffered
>Foramlin, however, the ultrastructure was not preserved.  Does anyone
>have any suggestions for a fixative?  We need to fix both the testicular
>and epididmyal tissue.
>
>
>
>Attachment Converted: "c:\eudora\attach\gkerce.vcf"
>