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Intranuclear birefringent inclusions in paraffin sections by polychromatic polarization microscopy
Aiste Vitkunaite1, Aida Laurinaviciene1,2, Benoit Plancoulaine2,3
1National Center of Pathology, Affiliate of Vilnius University Hospital Santaros Clinics, Vilnius, Lithuania.
Scientific Reports
|March 19, 2021
Summary
Intranuclear birefringent inclusions (IBI) are not artifacts but liquid paraffin-macromolecular crystals. These crystals may indicate active gene transcription within cells during tissue processing.
Area of Science:
- Cell Biology
- Histology
- Microscopy
Background:
- Intranuclear birefringent inclusions (IBI) in paraffin-embedded tissues are traditionally viewed as processing artifacts.
- Previous suggestions linked IBI to cellular biological processes, but their origin remained unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the nature and origin of intranuclear birefringent inclusions (IBI).
- To determine if IBI are artifacts or have a biological significance.
Main Methods:
- Application of polychromatic polarization microscopy.
- Imaging the spatial organization of IBI within various cell types.
Main Results:
- Evidence suggests IBI are formed by liquid paraffin-macromolecular crystals.
- These crystals form during the paraffin-embedding process within cells.
- IBI formation may correlate with an active transcriptional status.
Conclusions:
- Intranuclear birefringent inclusions are likely not artifacts but a result of the tissue embedding process.
- The formation of these inclusions may serve as an indicator of active cellular transcription.
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