[Effects of fixation and light conditions on distribution of interphotoreceptor matrix]

By using albino, adult rats, the effects of different light conditions during enucleation and fixation on the staining of the interphotoreceptor matrix (IPM) with colloidal iron were examined. When the eyes were enucleated in the dark or under a fluorescent lamp, followed by immersion-fixing in the dark, the IPM around the photoreceptor outer segments (OS) and apical inner segments (IS) was uniformly stained. When the eyes were enucleated in the light, and were immersion-fixed in the light, the staining pattern of the IPM was dependent on the light conditions during the fixation. By increasing the intensity and the exposure-time of the light, the intensity of the interstitial IPM-staining around the OS decreased except for the apical- and basal-regions, whereas that of the IPM staining around the IS increased from the basal- to the apical-region. When the rat was perfused with the fixative in the light, the diffuse IPM staining around the IS was especially remarkable. In cases in which it is only possible to apply immersion-fixation, it is necessary to remove the light effects during the fixation in order to obtain consistent results with IPM-histochemistry. For this purpose, it may be effective to cover the bottle for fixation with aluminum foil immediately after the enucleation.