Ultrastructural comparison of cynomolgus monkey liver samples following immersion fixation in different primary fixatives
This study was undertaken to find an optimal primary fixative for the assessment of ultrastructural morphology of hepatic tissue from cynomolgus monkeys under common constraints in a pathology laboratory. No single fixative for electron microscopy is suitable for every organ, species or application. Immersion fixation is prescribed when a limited amount of tissue is available from biopsies or when tissues must be shared with other investigators. In addition, tissues are often collected at another location and then sent to the electron microscopist so a delay is incurred before processing is completed. The ultrastructural effects of eight fixatives and two designed delays were evaluated in this study.Fresh hepatic tissue was excised from the left lateral hepatic lobe of normal control young adult male cynomolgus monkeys and fixed by immersion according to 8 protocols.