Boneslides@aol.com wrote: 
> Understanding that I have absolutely NO EXPERIENCE with brain
> tissue, I am curious...is there a reason/benefit to processing
> in isopropanol rather than in ethanol or one of the blends
> designed for use in histology processing?

The short answer is - Choose the cheapest 
anhydrous alcohol. Isopropanol is cheaper than
ethyl alcohol if you have to pay booze-based 
taxes when you buy ethanol.  If your lab can get
duty-free ethanol it may be cheaper than 
isopropanol.

Poisoned or denatured alcohol (ethyl mixed with methyl 
or propyl) is usually cheap but it may contain up to 
5% water. It can be used as to make 70%, and 95% but
not "absolute" (water-free) alcohol.     

What are "the blends designed for use in histology" 
that you ask about? There's no magic in the business
of solvents.
-- 
-------------------------
John A. Kiernan
Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology
The University of Western Ontario
London,   Canada   N6A 5C1
   kiernan@uwo.ca
   http://publish.uwo.ca/~jkiernan/