The original idea of adding formalin or glutaraldehyde to the EDTA was
to prevent maceration during the long exposure to EDTA solutions. In my
experience these aldehydes significantly decrease the rate of EDTA
demineralization. This may well be due to increased cross linking,
especially if the original fixation was of relatively short duration.
Have no evidence or references for this. My advice would be to use EDTA
pH7.2 to 7.4 to eliminate this as a potential problem.
Barry

-----Original Message-----
From: histonet-bounces@lists.utsouthwestern.edu
[mailto:histonet-bounces@lists.utsouthwestern.edu] On Behalf Of
Dunn-Jena, Patsy A
Sent: Friday, September 10, 2004 9:49 AM
To: Histonet
Subject: [Histonet] Question regarding 10% Neutral buffered
formalin/Immuno

I have a graduate student who has come to me with a question I cannot
answer as I have limited Immunohistochemical experience.  One of her
advisers wants her to go to using an EDTA decalcification recipe which
contains the 10% NBF in it which is a recipe we used on all of his
previous work.  She asked me about the NBF crosslinking her immuno sites
as she has been using an EDTA decalcification only recipe.  Some input
here would be nice so I can better explain it to her.

Patsy A. Dunn-Jena, RVT, LAT, HT (ASCP)
Mineralized Tissue and Histology Research Laboratory
Indiana University School of Dentistry
1121 W. Michigan Street, Room 238
Indianapolis, IN 46202
padunnje@iupui.edu
(317)274-0544


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