Confocal laser scanning microscopy tissue sections

Confocal laser scanning microscopy can be used in conjunction with microwave heating for examining the three-dimensional structure and cellular interrelationships in sections of paraffin-embedded tissues (Boon and Kok, 1994). Tissues are fixed with Kryofix, a coagulant fixative containing 50% ethyl alcohol and polyethylene glycol (PEG molecular weight 300) for 90 sec in a microwave oven. The use of thick paraffin sections (15 (xm) and fluorescently labeled antibodies is preferred. 

Fig. 13.3. This figure demonstrates the distribution of fluorescently tagged LCM in brain parenchyma analyzed by confocal laser scanning microscopy. Rats bearing 9L tumors were administered diO-LCM and sacrificed 2 minutes later. Vibratome sections were counterstained with TR-WGA which binds to tumor cells and distinguishes the tumor area from the surrounding normal tissue. Comparison of the area stained with TR-WGA (tumor cells) (B) and that stained with diO (A) indicates that LCM were associated with a large portion of the tumor. (Taken from ref. 531.)...

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