Formal-calcium is intended to increase the preservation
of phospholipids, for subsequent demonstration in
frozen sections or, following chromation, in paraffin
sections. Lillie's formulation with calcium acetate is 
perfectly OK as a regular fixative for paraffin work. 
Wash it out with water, then you won't get insoluble calcium 
salts precipitating out in the solvents. (This should be
less of a problem than with phosphate buffered formaldehyde
because calcium acetate is soluble in alcohol, unlike the
Na and K phosphates.)
-- 
-------------------------
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/


"Miller, Yvette" wrote:
> 
> 
> Topic: calcium formalin
> Has anyone ever used this as a fixative for fatty tissue? Will it clog your
> processor ? Can it be used for processing tissue for paraffin embedding ?
> 
> Local Animal Hospital,
> Yvette, MA

-- 
-------------------------
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/