Summary
Effect of formalin fixation on the dry mass of isolated rat liver nuclei was studied by interference microscopy. It was found that a fixation time of 2–6 hrs prevents completely the elution of water-extractable material from nuclei. Nuclei unfixed, water-extracted for 4 hrs lose about 20% of their initial dry mass. Fixation time longer than 6 hrs resulted also in a decrease of dry mass of the nuclei.
Liquid scintillation counting of 14C-formaldehyde served for finding the influence of bound formaldehyde on dry mass values. As calculated, after 2 hrs fixation with formalin the bound formaldehyde constitutes 3.6% of the dry mass of isolated untreated nuclei.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Barer, R.: Determination of dry mass, thickness, solid and water concentration in living cells. Nature (Lond.) 172, 1097–1098 (1953).
Barton, A. D.: Soluble proteins from liver cell nuclei. Z. Zellforsch. 64, 74–82 (1964).
Behrens, M.: Gewinnung morphologischer Zellen- und Gewebebestandteile in nicht wäßrigem Milieu. Biochemisches Taschenbuch, S. 910–918. Berlin-Göttingen-Heidelberg: Springer 1956.
Brutlag, D., Schlehuber, C., Bonner, J.: Properties of formaldehyde-treated nucleohistone. Biochem. 8, 3214–3218 (1969).
Carlson, L., Gledhill, B. L.: Studies on the dry mass of bull spermatozoal heads. Exp. Cell Res. 41, 376–384 (1966).
Chaveau, J., Moulé, Y., Rouiller, Ch.: Isolation of pure and unaltered liver nuclei. Morphological and biochemical composition. Exp. Cell Res. 11, 317–321 (1956).
Davies, H. G.: The determination of mass and concentration by microscope interferometry. In: General cytochemical methods, vol. I, p. 64, ed. by J. F. Danielli. New York: Academic Press 1958.
Davies, H. G., Wilkins, M. H. F., Chayen, J., La Cour, L. F.: The use of the interference microscope to determine dry mass in living cells and as a quantitative cytochemical method. Quart. J. micr. Sci. 95, 271–304 (1954).
Kraus, H., Sandritter, W.: Interferenzmikroskopische und cytophotometrische Untersuchungen zur Analyse von Zellkernen. I. Versuche zur Bestimmung der Globulinfraktion. Histochemie 15, 99–117 (1968).
Lamirande, G. de, Allard, C., Cantero, A.: Electrophoretic analysis of the soluble proteins of cell fractions isolated from regenerating rat liver, liver tumor and liver of rat fed p-dimethylaminoazobenzene. Cancer (Philad.) 6, 179–183 (1953).
Mellors, R. C., Ortega, L. G., Stoholski, A., Hlinka, J.: Quantitative cytology and cytopathology. VI. Chromosomal mass in germinal cells and in cancer cells of the mouse. Exp. Cell Res. 12, 560–567 (1957).
Merriam, R. W.: Standard chemical fixations as a basis for quantitative investigations of substances other then deoxyribonucleic acid. J. Histochem. Cytochem. 6, 43–51 (1958).
Ostrowski, K., Komender, J., Kościanek, H., Kwarecki, K.: Quantitative investigation of the P and N loss in the rat liver when using various media in the “freeze-substitution” technique. Experientia (Basel) 18, 142–144 (1962).
Pluta, M.: Mikroskop interferencyjno-polaryzacyjny do badań przedmiotów przezroczystych. Pom. Aut. Kon. 7, 183 (1961).
Richards, B. M., Bajer, A.: Mitosis in endosperm. Changes in nuclear and chromosome mass during mitosis. Exp. Cell Res. 22, 503–508 (1961).
Roels, H.: A study of the cell nuclei of the adrenal cortex of the white rat by means of interference microspectrography. Exp. Cell Res. 15, 494–504 (1958).
Roels, H.: Influence of cold stress on the dry weight of the cell nuclei of the adrenal medulla of the white rat. Exp. Cell. Res. 23, 408–409 (1961).
Roels, H.: Interferometric study of the cell nuclei of the adrenal medulla in different experimental conditions. Exp. Cell Res. 30, 437–440 (1963).
Sandritter, W., Hartlieb, J.: Quantitative Untersuchungen über den Nukleinsäureverlust des Gewebes bei Fixierung und Einbettung. Experientia (Basel) 11, 313–314 (1955).
Smith, F. C.: Two half-shade devices for optical polarizing instruments. Nature (Lond.) 173, 362–363 (1954).
Stenram, U.: Interferometric dry matter determinations on liver nucleoli of protein-fed, protein-deprived and thyroid-fed rat. Exp. Cell Res. 12, 226–632 (1957).
Watkins, M. J.: Interferometric measurements of the chromosomal mass in a grasshopper. Exp. Cell Res. 23, 595–602 (1961).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Abramczuk, J. Effect of formalin fixation on the dry mass of isolated rat liver nuclei. Histochemie 29, 207–212 (1972). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00306144
Received:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00306144