Could Glyoxal fixation enhance immunohistochemical signalling?

Yes. Glyoxal fixation enhances immunohistochemical signals, and adjusting the glyoxal fixative to pH 4 or 5 is key for this effect. Glyoxal fixation typically enhances immune signals compared to formaldehyde and glutaraldehyde. This may be due to the fact that the chemical structure of glyoxal gives it good cross-linking properties that preserve the structure and antigenicity of proteins, making it suitable for immunohistochemistry. Studies have also shown that ethanol-free glyoxal fixatives enhanced many synaptic molecules more than glyoxal fixatives containing 20% ethanol. Increasing the concentrations of glyoxal and acetic acid to 9% and 8%, respectively, also resolves the problem of tissue section fragility.

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