Summary
PAF (picric acid-formaldehyde) fixation of rat testis for a short time at 0–4°C was found to give satisfactory histological results and to preserve most of the specific binding activity of LH(HCG) receptors.
Investigations of the characteristics of the hormone-receptor reaction after mild PAF fixation indicated that this reaction was not substantially affected in hormone-receptor affinity and in its own specificity; only the capacity of the receptors was lowered by about 20%. A histochemical model is presented whose main features are: fixation of testis tissue in PAF; freezing in liquid nitrogen and cutting in the cryostat; radiolabelled hormone-receptor binding reaction performed on the sections; autoradiography to reveal the binding reaction. The utility of the method for qualitative and quantitative receptor studies and its possible application to biopsy and surgical specimens, are discussed.
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Dal Lago, A., Bortolussi, M., Galli, S. et al. Effects of picric acid-formaldehyde fixation on the LH(HCG) receptors' binding activity in the rat testis. Histochemistry 52, 129–143 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00492289
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00492289