Glenda, To me it does not make much sense that significant amounts of
proteins could be "squeezed" out. The possibility that the clot becomes
more dense and therefore less permeable to fixatives does exist.
Plus-glass and perhaps some other common adhesion mechanisms rely on
chemical changes that occur during fixation to be effective. This can
be tested rather easily if the sections stay on long enough to hydrate
to water, because it can be remedied by post-fixing for five minutes
before staining.

Bert.

On Thu, 01 Oct 1998 10:30:26 -0500 "Hoye, Glenda F. (Fka Hood)"
<ghoye@iupui.edu> wrote:

> Hi. A former student called just after my earlier posting, with a different
> problem. We think we came up with a solution, but decided to ask for input.
>
> Bone marrow clots submitted by one physician in her facility always loosen
> from the slide after processing and cutting as usual. Ones submitted from
> other physicians do not have the same loosening problem; different techs
> cutting encounter the same scenario. When investigating, it was discovered
> the physician allows the clot to remain in the syringe until clotted firmly,
> then "squeezes" as much serum out of it as possible, before putting it into
> formalin. The other submitting docs don't use the "squeeze" technique.
>
> Our solution centered on the removal of the serum -- the protien -- from the
> clot. Would that not make it less likely to fix so that the specimen was
> more firm and cross-linked so that it would hold together??
>
> Please offer suggestions, or concur that our thinking is "on line".
> Thanks,
> Glenda F. Hoye, BS, HT(ASCP)
> Histotechnology Prog Dir, Indiana Univ Sch of Allied Hlth Sci
> Indianapolis, IN  46202-5119
> 317.278.1599
>
>

----------------------
Bert Dotson
amdj@acpub.duke.edu