Antigen retrieval in archival tissues

To accomplish the aforementioned and other antigenicity detection goals, epitopes must be detected reliably and reproducibly in archival, paraffin-embedded tissues. Since fixation is the most important factor in preserving and masking antigenicity in archival and other specimens, a brief comment on the effects of various fixatives on epitopes is relevant. There is no universally ideal fixative to optimally detect all types of epitopes in archival tissues. A few examples suffice. 

Immunohistochemical studies demonstrate that unbuffered zinc formalin (a slow crosslinking fixative) and unbuffered acid formalin yield good preservation of antigens pi85 and TGF, whereas ethanol and methanol (two coagulating fixatives) produce good 

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