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Updated: Aug 12, 2026

Preparation of Drosophila Polytene Chromosome Squashes for Antibody Labeling
Published on: February 10, 2010
Acid ethanol fixation and polyester wax embedding combines preservation of antigenic determinants with good
P J Roholl1, H F Dullens, J Kleijne
1IVEG-TNO, Rijswijk, The Netherlands.
Abstract:
Lymphoid tissue, and/or isolated peripheral mononuclear blood cells were fixed in acid ethanol and embedded in polyester wax (melting point 37 C). The excellent cytomorphology obtained allowed distinguishing different types of individual lymphoid and nonlymphoid cells. Furthermore, this procedure was satisfactory in the immunophenotyping of histiocytes, endothelial, mesenchymal, epithelial cells, different (sub-) types of lymphocytes and also of lymphokine activated killer (LAK) cells. The staining patterns obtained with the different poly- and monoclonal antibodies on polyester wax sections were not only analogous to those obtained on frozen sections, but cells which had incorporated bromodeoxyuridine could be double labeled with specific antiserum.

