The Effects of Tissue Processing Variables Other Than Fixation on Histochemical Staining and Immunohistochemical Detection of Antigens

In addition to the time, temperature, and type of fixation, multiple other factors may affect histological or immunohistochemical staining. Such variables include the interval between cellular death and fixation. the method of tissue processing, preparation of paraffin blocks, the method of attaching tissue sections to microscope slides, the interval between cutting tissue sections and immunostaining, the use of hydrophobic pens to demarcate tissue, and, most importantly, the staining methods themselves. The article reviews contributions of the above factors as variables in histochemical and immunohistochemical staining. Problems in any of the above areas may be mistaken for problems with fixation, and it is important to determine rapidly the actual sources of such problems. (The J Histotechnol 24:213, 2001 )