Abstract
There is a hierarchy of best fixation practices that is a function of who’s preparing what kinds of specimens, where, and available resources. The best practice uses fresh cells that are spread thinly on a clean slide and immediately immersed in alcohol. Everything else lessens cell display and cell recovery to various degrees.
The microscopic interpretation of any type of smear depends largely on the excellence of the preparations.
Ruth M. Graham
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Carnoy JB. Quelques observations sur la division cellulaire chez les animaux. Cellule. 1887;3:225–324.
Online Etymology Dictionary. Available at http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?allowed_in_frame=0&search=preservative&searchmode=none. Accessed 6 Apr 2012.
Bracegirdle B. A history of microtechnique. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press; 1978.
Clarke JL. Researches into the structure of the spinal cord. Philos Trans R Soc. 1851;141:601–22.
Stockard CR, Papanicolaou GN. The existence of a typical oestrous cycle in the guinea pig with a study of its histological and physiological changes. Am J Anat. 1917;22:225–83.
Sills B. Use of polyethylene glycols in dry preservation of anatomic and pathologic specimens. Lab Invest. 1952;1(3):378–81.
Papanicolaou GN. Atlas of exfoliative cytology. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press; 1954.
Pundel JP, Ferriera CDA, Peters H, deBrux J, Nieburgs HE, Schueller E, et al. II. Experiences with various methods of fixation of smears. Do cellular changes occur as a result of air drying of smears? Acta Cytol. 1957;1(1):62–9.
Hajdu SI. A note on the history of Carbowax in cytology. Acta Cytol. 1983;27(2):204–5.
Saccomanno G, Saunders RP, Ellis H, Archer VE, Wood BG, Beckler PA. Concentration of carcinoma or atypical cells in sputum. Acta Cytol. 1963;7(5):305–10.
Bonime RG. Air-dried smear for cytologic studies. Obstet Gynecol. 1966;27(6):783–90.
Ehrenreich T, Zadeikis SK, inventors. Fixing and drying cytological smears. US patent 3389052. 18 Jun 1968.
Hurley AA, Lapen DC, Oud PS, inventors; Cytyc Corporation, assignee. Cell preservative solution. US patent 5256571. 26 Oct 1993.
Gill GW, Miller KA, Frost JK. Cytomorphological consequences of fixation methods other than ethanolic wet fixation. Platform presentation delivered at American Society of Cytopathology’s 21st Annual Scientific Meeting, Salt Lake City, UT, 8 Nov 1973.
Papanicolaou GN. Some improved methods for staining vaginal smears. J Lab Clin Med. 1941;26:1200–5.
Carmichael DE. The Pap smear: life of George N. Papanicolaou. Springfield, IL: Charles C. Thomas; 1973. p. 69.
CFR. Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. Part 21–Formulas for Denatured Alcohol and Rum. Available at http://ecfr.gpoaccess.gov/cgi/t/text/text-idx?c=ecfr&rgn=div5&view=text&node=27:1.0.1.1.17&idno=27. Accessed 15 Apr 2012.
Holmquist MD. The effect of distance in aerosol fixation of cytologic specimens. Cytotechnol Bull. 1978;15(2):25–7.
Freeman JA. Hair spray: an inexpensive aerosol fixative for cytodiagnosis. Acta Cytol. 1969;13(7):416–9.
Randall B, van Amerongen L. Commercial lab practice evaluation of air-dried/rehydrated cervicovaginal smears vs. traditionally-fixed smears. Diagn Cytopathol. 1997;16(2):174–6.
Sivaraman G, Iyengar KR. Rehydrated air-dried Pap smears as an alternative to wet-fixed smears. Acta Cytol. 2002;46(4):713–7.
Chan JK, Kung IT. Rehydration of air-dried smears with normal saline. Application in fine-needle aspiration cytologic examination. Am J Clin Pathol. 1988;89(1):30–4.
Gill GW. Air-dried/rehydrated CV smears are different. Diagn Cytopathol. 1998;18(5):381–2.
Kirby JP. The effects of different fixatives and fixation methods on cell areas. Gill GW, Erozan YS, advisors. Baltimore MD: The Johns Hopkins Hospital, School of Cytotechnology, 29 Jun 1976.
Anderson TF. Electron microscopy of microorganisms. In: Oster G, Pollister AW, editors. Cells and tissues. Chapter 5 in Physical techniques in biological research. New York, NY; Academic; 1955. p. 177–240
Beyer-Boon ME, van der Voorn-Den Hollander MJ, Arentz PW, Cornelisse CJ, Schaberg A. Fox CH Effect of various routine cytopreparatory techniques on normal urothelial cells and their nuclei. Acta Pathol Microbiol Scand A. 1979;87(1):63–9.
Schulte E. Air drying as a preparatory factor in cytology: investigation of its influence on dye uptake and dye binding. Diagn Cytopathol. 1986;2(2):160–7. Air-drying.
Yang GCH. The mathematical basis for the increased sensitivity in cancer detection in air-dried cytopreparations. Mod Pathol. 1994;7(6):681–4.
Sills K, Sills B, inventors. Carbowax sticks for preparation of the Carbowax fixative use in cancer cytology. US patent 4565721. 21 Jan 1986.
Manosca F. Diagnostic effects of prolonged storage on fresh effusion samples. Diagn Cytopathol. 2007;35(1):6–11.
Dewitt SH, Del Vecchio PR, Borelli JI, Hilberg AW. A method for preparing wound washings and bloody fluids for cytologic evaluation. J Natl Cancer Inst. 1957;19(1):115–21.
Dey P. Chromatin pattern alteration in malignant cells: an enigma. Diagn Cytopathol. 2005;32(1):25–30.
Baker JR. Principles of biological microtechnique – a study of fixation and dyeing. Bungay, Suffolk, England: Methuen & Co. Ltd.; 1958.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2013 Springer Science+Business Media New York
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Gill, G.W. (2013). Fixation. In: Cytopreparation. Essentials in Cytopathology, vol 12. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-4933-1_8
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-4933-1_8
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY
Print ISBN: 978-1-4614-4932-4
Online ISBN: 978-1-4614-4933-1
eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)