Abstract
The usefulness of the specimens prepared following fixation by microwave (MW) irradiation in immunohistochemical reactions was evaluated using various antibodies. The results showed that in the case of the content of secretory granules, the antigenicities were found to be preserved well along with improved structural preservation by MW irradiation, and specimens with excellent localization were obtained. The antigenicity of basement membrane components could always be detected when tissues were fixed by MW irradiation with water soluble carbodiimide (WSC) added as a fixative. For plasma membrane antigens and cytoskeleton antigens, essentially the same results were obtained by fixation with MW irradiation and conventional fixation by immersion. There thus appears the possibility that the use of new fixatives may render MW irradiation more useful for immunohistochemical reactions.
