Detection of immune system cells in paraffin wax-embedded ovine tissues

This report describes a method (fixation, paraffin wax-embedding and immuno labelling) for the demonstration of several immune system cell epitopes (CD 1, CD2, CD4, CD8, CD14, CD21, CD45R, WC-1, 28 kDa surface antigen, immunogl obulins and MHC II antigens) in ovine lymph nodes collected at necropsy. Ce ll surface epitopes considered to be sensitive to processing methods were s uccessfully demonstrated by a procedure that included the use of a non-alde hyde-containing, zinc salts-based fixative, coupled with a sensitive system of immunolabelling. This novel method has the advantage of avoiding antige n-retrieval steps and of providing consistently good morphological definiti on. (C) 2001 Harcourt Publishers Ltd.