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Modification of the Falck-Hillarp formaldehyde fluorescence method using the vibratome®: simple, rapid and sensitive localization of catecholamines in sections of unfixed or formalin fixed brain tissue

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Summary

Two modifications of the original Falck-Hillarp formaldehyde fluorescence technique are presented, both based on a recently introduced instrument, the Vibratome®, which permits cutting of unembedded tissue with a section thickness down to 10 μ,.

The first modification involves sectioning of unfixed tissue at a temperature below +5°C, subsequent air drying and reaction with formaldehyde vapours. In the second procedure formalin fixed tissue is cut and processed as described above. It is essential that both formalin fixation and cutting of the fixed tissue takes place at a low temperature to avoid diffusion of the catecholamines.

The results show that with both techniques central CA neurons can be visualized with a high degree of sensitivity. Furthermore, since the sections are free from fractures—a common problem in freeze-dried tissues—the Vibratome® technique represents a valuable tool for mapping studies. It may also be added that since many steps of the original procedure are omitted the present techniques are also more rapid and simple. It is pointed out that using the Vibratome® procedure on formalin fixed tissue, it will be possible to combine e.g. cholinesterase staining or Fink-Heimer silver impregnation or immunofluorescent studies with the Falck-Hillarp technique on serial or even on the same sections.

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  1. Department of Histology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden

    Tomas Hökfelt & Åke Ljungdahl

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  1. Tomas Hökfelt
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  2. Åke Ljungdahl
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Hökfelt, T., Ljungdahl, Å. Modification of the Falck-Hillarp formaldehyde fluorescence method using the vibratome®: simple, rapid and sensitive localization of catecholamines in sections of unfixed or formalin fixed brain tissue. Histochemie 29, 325–339 (1972). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00279815

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