Application of the cell block method, utilizing mount quick mounting medium

Our objective was to determine the applicability of the cell transfer and c ell block methods using Mount Quick (Daido Sangyo, Saitama, Japan) mounting medium (MQ) for hematoxylin-eosin (H & E) and immunohistochemical staining of several limited amounts of biological materials in slide preparations. The materials investigated were histopathologically confirmed malignant mes otheliomas (pleural effusions) and malignant lymphomas, a malignant melanom a, and an amelanotic melanoma in sealed slides. Monoclonal antibodies again st carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), epithelial membrane antigen (EMA), cance r antigen 125 (CA-125), vimentin, thrombomodulin (TM), cytokeratin, UCHL-1, L-26, melanoma-specific antigen (HMB45), and S-100 protein (S-100) were ap plied in the investigation. The malignant melanoma and amelanotic melanoma materials stained strongly f or HMB45 and S-100. Cell transfer employing MQ is a suitable approach for immunohistochemical i nvestigations of limited materials. In addition, cell blocks derived from M Q-embedded smears can be used for both H & E and immunohistochemical staini ng. (C) 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.