Hi Teri and everyone else on this thread,
Washing out many of the effects of formaldehyde fixation on tissues with
running water has been known for years (much longer than this old boy has
been around).
In modern terms, it is the essential underlying mechanism for so-called
antigen retrieval (HIER).
Formaldehyde fixes proteins by addition, with the formation of hydroxymethyl
adducts on the reactive side chains of proteins.
Once enough of these hydroxymethyl adducts are formed, and IF they are in
close approximation to each other, they may slowly cross-link by the
formation of methylene bridges.
However, these adducts and initial cross-links are unstable and readily
reversed by water and alcohol (see Kiernan (1999).
It takes 24 hours at room temperature for all the hydroxymethyl adducts to
form, i.e. maximal binding threshold (see Fox et al, 1985).
If the tissue is then exposed to running water before all the adducts have
formed (i.e. less than 24 hours), the reversal is very rapid.
The shorter the time in formaldehyde, the more rapid the reversal.
Even after the essential 24 hours fixation and also after a more lengthy 6
days fixation, running water will still remove the adducts and hydrolyse the
methylene bridges.
There is at least one publication (Helander, 1994) that provides data
regarding this effect.
After 24 hours fixation, 50% reversal occurred in less than 24 hours, 90%
reversal was obtained after 6 days washing and for 6 days fixation 90%
reversal after 4 weeks washing.
It should be noted that these reversal times were obtained at ambient
temperatures and the times may be considerably reduced by elevated
temperatures.
This reversal effect is also obtained on tissue sections that have been
processed to wax.
However, because of the additional shrinkage and hydrophobicity of the
processed proteins, the reversal is slowed somewhat until the proteins
re-hydrate.
The reversal effect can also be aided by the presence of other ions in the
water (the purpose of HIER buffers).
Back in the sixties, in order to successfully demonstrate Ig's by IF, we
were reversing the fixation effects on paraffin sections by placing them in
hypotonic buffers for 2 days at 37C.
Today, since we are all in a great rush for results, we obviously drive the
reversal at higher temperatures to speed things up!!
References:
Baker JR (1958), Principles of Biological Microtechnique, Methuen & Co. Ltd.
Hopwood D. Fixatives and fixation: A review. Histochemical journal (1969);
1, p19-55
Burnett MG. The mechanism of the formaldehyde clock reaction: Methylene
glycol dehydration. J Chem. educ. (1982); 59, 160
Fox CH et al. Formaldehyde fixation. J Histochem Cytochem (1985); 33,
845-853
Helander KG. Kinetic studies of formaldehyde binding in tissue. Biotechnique
and Histochemistry. (1994); 69, 177-179
Kiernan J.A., Histological and Histochemical Methods: Theory and Practice,
3rd Edition, (1999). Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann. ISBN # 0-7506-3106-6.
Shi SR, Gu J. and Taylor CR. Antigen Retrieval Techniques:
Immunohistochemistry and Molecular Morphology. (2000) Eaton Publishing. ISBN
1-881299-43-0.
Sompuram SR, Vani K, Messana E and Bogen SA. A molecular mechanism of
formalin fixation and antigen retrieval. Am J Clin Pathol (2004);121:
190-199
Best regards,
Bryan
----- Original Message -----
From: "Johnson, Teri"
To:
Sent: Monday, March 03, 2008 2:33 PM
Subject: [Histonet] Washing out formalin fixation
Last week, a researcher here asked me what the chemical mechanism was of
washing out the effects of formalin fixation on the tissues with running
water. In other words, how does it work? Anybody here know?
Teri Johnson, HT(ASCP)QIHC
Managing Director Histology Facility
Stowers Institute for Medical Research
1000 E. 50th St.
Kansas City, MO 64110
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