Author(s): Filipe, João ; Silva, Mariana ; Monteiro, Natacha ; Maia-Matos, Mário ; Borges-Ferro, Amadeu
Date: 2024
Persistent ID: http://hdl.handle.net/10400.21/17253
Origin: Repositório Científico do Instituto Politécnico de Lisboa
Subject(s): FineFix; Fixation; Macroscopy; Histochemistry; Immunohistochemistry; FineFix; FineFix; Fixation; Fixation; Macroscopy; Macroscopy; Histochemistry; Histochemistry; Immunohistochemistry; Immunohistochemistry
Fixation aims to preserve biological tissues and their components against natural degradation providing them with the necessary robustness to withstand further processing. The most used fixative is 10% natural buffered formalin (NBF), which offers some advantages over other solutions. However, it is considered a mutagenic and carcinogenic agent by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). To reduce the associated risk, other alternatives have been investigated. The working solution with FineFix has a concentration of 70% ethanol and, according to the patent, its additives mitigate the disadvantages associated with alcoholic fixatives. This review aims to assess the existing information regarding the fixation quality of FineFix, considering macroscopic, histochemical, and immunohistochemical findings, to determine whether pathology laboratories can adopt it.
