Modification of Operating Procedure for EZ-Retriever (Trademark) Microwave to Produce Consistent and Reproducible Immunohistochemical Results
Abstract
The present study was conducted to optimize the operating procedure for the EZ- Retriever" microwave oven to produce consistent and reproducible staining results with microtubule-associated protein 2 (MAP-2). After performing microwave antigen retrieval (MAR) at 98 degrees C, as recommended by the manufacturer, inconsistent patterns of MAP-2 immunoreactivity were produced. Uniform patterns of MAP- 2 staining are critical when performing qualitative and quantitative image analysis on sections; therefore, optimizing the temperature at which MAR was performed was essential. Results indicate that when using the EZ-Retriever" microwave, boiling sections in 10mM citric acid of pH 6.0 for 10 min at 106 degrees C is optimal for recovering MAP-2 in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded sections. Ultimately, this modification will permit more accurate and reliable image analyses in future immunohistochemical studies, including other proteins that require citrate based solutions for MAR.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 01, 2006
- Accession Number
- ADA472094
Entities
People
- Christina P. Tompkins
- Denise M. Fath
- Robert K. Kan
- Tracey A. Hamilton
Organizations
- United States Army Medical Research Institute of Chemical Defense