About what to put on tissue to make the marking ink stick to it: I don't use anything. The trick is to blot the surfaces thoroughly dry with a paper towel before you try to put the ink on. Of course, there's nothing you can use that will make ink adhere well to cauterized surfaces (some breast biopsy specimens, LEEP cones, and such. The pathologist can however identify cauterized margins under the microscope.)
Because of the picric acid (and because it stains your clothes) Bouin's fixative is unacceptable. So is acetone, which is a serious explosion hazard. If you must use something, use 3% acetic acid (white vinegar diluted half-strength). I've been grossing since 1965, worked on maybe sixty different pathology services. Bob Richmond Samurai Pathologist Knoxville TN _______________________________________________ Histonet mailing list Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet