The nuances of tissue processing

I’ve been working a lot with immunohistochemistry lately and it’s fascinating how crucial precise fixation is for the quality of results. Last week, I had a case where delayed processing led to significantly weaker staining, which made diagnosis tricky. I’m curious, how do others ensure consistency in their tissue samples during this step?

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍⁠​‌‍​‌‌‍​‍‌⁠‌​‌‍‌‌‌‍​⁠‌‍‍​‌‍⁠‍‌‍‍‌‌‍​⁠‌‍‍‌‌‍​‌‌‍⁠‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍⁠‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌​‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠​​‌‍‍‌‌‍​⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍⁠‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠‌⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠‍​​⁠​​​⁠​‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌​‌‌​⁠‌​⁠‍‌‍​⁠‌‍‌​‌​​‍‌⁠‌​​⁠​​‌‍⁠‌‌‍​⁠​⁠‌​‌‍‍‍‌‌​​‌​‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​

It’s wild how just a bit of delay can throw everything off! I always make sure to label my samples with time stamps – it’s like giving them a little time passport. How do you handle late samples when they come in?

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍⁠​‌‍​‌‌‍​‍‌⁠‌​‌‍‌‌‌‍​⁠‌‍‍​‌‍⁠‍‌‍‍‌‌‍​⁠‌‍‍‌‌‍​‌‌‍⁠‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠​⁠​⁠‌‍​⁠​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠‍​​⁠​​​⁠​⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌⁠‌‍‌⁠‍​‌⁠​‌‌​⁠‍​⁠​‍‌​⁠‌​⁠‍‌‌​‌⁠‌⁠‍‌‌⁠‍​​⁠‌⁠‌​‍⁠‌​​‍‌‍⁠​‌‌⁠⁠​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​

I totally get the struggle with delayed processing affecting staining quality. I like to implement a strict schedule for my samples and always try to start processing as soon as I can after fixation. Have you thought about using a dedicated timer for each batch to keep track better?

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍⁠​‌‍​‌‌‍​‍‌⁠‌​‌‍‌‌‌‍​⁠‌‍‍​‌‍⁠‍‌‍‍‌‌‍​⁠‌‍‍‌‌‍​‌‌‍⁠‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠​⁠​⁠‌‍​⁠​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠‍​​⁠​​​⁠‌‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‌​‍​⁠‌‍‌​‌‍‌⁠‌⁠‌‍​‌‌​‌⁠‌⁠​​‌​‍​‌⁠​‍‌​‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‍‍‌‌‌​​‌‌⁠⁠‌​‍‍‌⁠​‍​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​