fixatives_flashcards_updated

Question 1

Formalin

Answer 1

A 40% solution of formaldehyde used as a fixative

Question 2

10% Formalin

Answer 2

A commonly used formalin concentration

Question 3

10% Formol Saline

Answer 3

Fixative for CNS tissues and general post-mortem tissues

Question 4

10% Neutral Buffered Formalin

Answer 4

Used for storage of surgical and post-mortem tissues

Question 5

Formol Corrosive

Answer 5

Contains mercuric chloride, recommended for routine post-mortem tissues

Question 6

Gendre’s (Alcoholic Formalin)

Answer 6

Used for preservation of glycogen and microincineration

Question 7

Glutaraldehyde

Answer 7

Made up of two formaldehyde residues linked by three carbons

Question 8

Mercuric Chloride

Answer 8

Most common metallic fixative, may produce black precipitates of mercury

Question 9

Zenker’s Fluid

Answer 9

Fixative recommended for small pieces of liver, spleen, and connective tissue fibers

Question 10

Zenker Formol (Helly’s Solution)

Answer 10

Excellent fixative for pituitary gland, bone marrow, and blood-containing organs

Question 11

Heidenhain’s SUSA

Answer 11

Recommended mainly for skin tumor biopsies

Question 12

B-5 Fixative

Answer 12

Commonly used for bone marrow fixation

Question 13

Chromic Acid

Answer 13

Preserves carbohydrates

Question 14

Potassium Dichromate

Answer 14

Preserves mitochondria at pH 4.5-5.2

Question 15

Regard’s Fluid (Muller)

Answer 15

Demonstrates chromatin, mitochondria, mitotic figures, Golgi Bodies, and RBCs

Question 16

Orth’s Fluid

Answer 16

Used to study early degenerative processes and tissue necrosis, demonstrates rickettsiae

Question 17

Bouin’s Solution

Answer 17

Fixative for embryos and pituitary biopsies, used for Masson’s Trichrome stain

Question 18

Brasil’s Alcoholic Picroformol Fixative

Answer 18

Better and less messy than Bouin’s Solution

Question 19

Methyl Alcohol 100%

Answer 19

Used for fixing dry and wet smears, blood smears, and bone marrow tissues

Question 20

Isopropyl Alcohol 95%

Answer 20

Used for special staining procedures like Wright-Giemsa

Question 21

Carnoy’s Fluid

Answer 21

Fixative for chromosomes, lymph glands, and urgent biopsies

Question 22

Newcomer’s Fluid

Answer 22

Fixative for mucopolysaccharides and nuclear proteins

Question 23

Flemming’s Solution

Answer 23

Recommended for nuclear preparation

Question 24

Flemming’s Solution without Acetic Acid

Answer 24

Recommended for cytoplasmic structures, particularly mitochondria

Question 25

Acetone

Answer 25

Used at ice cold temperatures ranging from -5 to 4°C

Question 26

Heat Fixation

Answer 26

Used for frozen tissue sections and bacteriologic smears, preserves nuclear and cytoplasmic details

Question 27

Lead Fixatives

Answer 27

Recommended for acid mucopolysaccharides, fixes connective tissue mucin

Question 28

Picric Fixatives

Answer 28

Excellent for glycogen demonstration

Question 29

Glacial Acetic Acid

Answer 29

Solidifies at 17°C, used in conjunction with other fixatives

Question 30

Trichloroacetic Acid

Answer 30

Sometimes incorporated with compound fixatives