Effects of time and temperature during attachment of sections to microscope slides on immunohistochemical detection of antigens.

To study the effects of time and temperature on attachment of tissue sections to microscope slides, we examined the intensity of immunohistochemical staining of selected antigens in nine different neoplastic and normal tissues after attaching sections at different times and temperatures. Typically, both the temperature and time are minimized when tissue sections attached to slides; however, suboptimal times and temperatures during attachment may result in either loss of tissue due to poor attachment or the necessity for inconvenient staining regimens. Using standard immunohistochemical techniques, 5 microm tissue sections were attached at 58 degrees C for 1, 4 and 24 hr. In a separate study, 5 microm tissue sections were attached for 16 hr at 58, 68 and 80 degrees C. The intensity of staining decreased slightly when the tissue sections were heated at 80 degrees C for 16 hr, but there was little or no decrease when tissues were heated at 68 degrees C or lower for 16 hr, or at 58 degrees C for up to 24 hr.