Table 1.

Fixation Parameters for Optimal Tissue Preservation

Group I: Prefixation parameters

1. Constant factors

a. Nature of the anesthetic

b. Duration of anesthesia

c. Anoxic injury in situ

2. Variable factors

a. Prefixation time

Group II: Intrafixation parameters

1. Properties of the fixatives

a. Chemistry and mechanism of action

b. Tissue penetration

2. Condition of fixation

a. Temperature

b. Duration

c. pH

d. Osmolarity

e. Concentration

f. Size of the specimen

g. Volume of the fixative

Group III: Post-fixation parameters

1. Storage parameters

a. Duration

b. Temperature

c. Condition (vacuum/nonvacuum packed)

2. Nature of the biological factor to be analyzed

a. Proteins

b. Enzymes

c. Lipids

d. Nucleic acids

e. Mucopolysaccharides

f. Biogenic amines

g. Glycogen