4% PFA may be a good fixative in research setinng, but if the tissue is routinely processed through alcohols to xylene, and embedded in paraffin,
the mouse brain tissue will be 'mushy' and impossible to cut well. If the same tissue is re-fixed in 10% NBF and processed,the cut sections will be great!
Jo

>>> "Colleen Forster"  10/06/04 05:26PM >>>
4% PFA is a very good fixative. The difference between 4% and 10% is 
that the PFA is made fresh each time and has no impurities added ex: 
methanols. The formalin content in both comes out to about the same. It 
is a standard fixative for many research labs. You can drop fix with PFA 
or perfuse and then drop fix for additional time for very good fixation 
and excellent results. I have used it for my mouse brain tissue for over 
6 years with very nice results.

Colleen Forster
U of Mn


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