Strategies to Maximize Adhesion of Thick Paraffin Sections of the Brown Trout Liver for Stereological Purposes

Abstract Thick histological sections are essential for implementing many modern stereological techniques because most rely on the optical disector technique both for sampling and counting objects (namely cells). In conducting any stereological evaluation, objects must be unambiguously identified. In many instances, only immunocytochemistry allows the required clear cell identification in sections. In immunohistochemical procedures adhesion media are routinely used, especially when including aggressive treatments for antigen retrieval (eg, microwave exposure) and tissue permeabilization (eg, Triton X-100). Immunohistochemical techniques performed on thick sections (30–40 μm) can cause additional adhesion problems, reinforcing the need to seek the best adhesion strategies for particular situations.Formalin fixed liver of the brown trout was used in this study. After pre-treating the slides with 2N hydrochloric acid (HCl) and acetone, we compared 4 of the most used adhesion media, namely Mayer solution, poly...