THE DEMONSTRATION OF CELL-SURFACE ANTIGENS ON T-CELLS, B-CELLS AND ACCESSORY CELLS IN PARAFFIN-EMBEDDED HUMAN-TISSUES

A method for processing fresh tissue that allows immunohistological analysis on paraffin sections is described. The method is based on the use of periodate-lysine-paraformaldehyde fixation. The effects of variation in fixation time, concentration of paraformaldehyde, dehydration, clearing, wax embedding and enzyme treatment of cut sections were examined. An optimal processing procedure was established that retains good tissue morphology and allowed 21 out of 27 monoclonal antibodies tested to be used successfully on paraffin sections to identify all major cell subpopulations by their membrane antigenic characteristics. The value of this approach in studying the immunopathology of potentially dangerous infectious diseases and in leukemia/lymphoma diagnosis is discussed.