A NEW CARBOWAX METHOD FOR ROUTINELY PERFORMING LIPID, HEMATOXYLIN AND EOSIN AND ELASTIC STAINING TECHNIQUES ON ADJACENT FREEZE-DRIED OR FORMALIN-FIXED SECTIONS

Abstract

1. A freeze-drying method is presented for the simultaneous processing of a large number of tissue specimens. 2. An infiltration medium consisting of carbowax "1000" and a blocking mixture consisting of carbowax "1000" and carbowax "4000" were developed and resulted in ribbons which could be cut as fine as 2 µ. 3. Diffusion currents encountered during flotation were obviated by the use of a General Flotation Solution consisting of potassium dichromate, glycerin and gelatin for routine sections and a Special Flotation Solution consisting of carbowax and glycerin for certain fragile tissues. 4. The application of routine stains to adjacent carbowax sections included a hematoxylin and cosin technique with good cosin differentiation and sharp hematoxylin staining, an elastic-collagen technique demonstrating distinct elastic and collagen fibers and a lipid technique with minimal fat loss. 5. This carbowax method allows for correlative, multiple staining and ultramicrochemical analysis on adjacent tissue sections.