In vitro studies of the fixation of DNA, nucleoprotamine, nucleohistone and proteins

Abstract

In view of improving fixation and embedding for thin sections of nuclear material we investigated the crosslinking of selected proteins, nucleic acid and nucleoproteins by observing the eventual gelation of solutions of these substances, which might be produced by current cytological fixatives. For those combinations where gelation occurs, we give thresholds of minimum concentrations required. We discuss the consequences of these findings for the preservation of thin sectioned nuclear structures within cells.