Carnoy's solution
Encyclopedia
Carnoy's solution is a fixative
composed of 60% ethanol
, 30% chloroform
and 10% glacial acetic acid
.
Carnoy's Solution is composed of:
This is the same proportion by volume as the previous formula, with the addition of ferric chloride.
Fixation (histology)
In the fields of histology, pathology, and cell biology, fixation is a chemical process by which biological tissues are preserved from decay, thereby preventing autolysis or putrefaction...
composed of 60% ethanol
Ethanol
Ethanol, also called ethyl alcohol, pure alcohol, grain alcohol, or drinking alcohol, is a volatile, flammable, colorless liquid. It is a psychoactive drug and one of the oldest recreational drugs. Best known as the type of alcohol found in alcoholic beverages, it is also used in thermometers, as a...
, 30% chloroform
Chloroform
Chloroform is an organic compound with formula CHCl3. It is one of the four chloromethanes. The colorless, sweet-smelling, dense liquid is a trihalomethane, and is considered somewhat hazardous...
and 10% glacial acetic acid
Acetic acid
Acetic acid is an organic compound with the chemical formula CH3CO2H . It is a colourless liquid that when undiluted is also called glacial acetic acid. Acetic acid is the main component of vinegar , and has a distinctive sour taste and pungent smell...
.
Carnoy's Solution is composed of:
- 1 g of ferric chloride (FeCl3) dissolved in 24 mL of absolute alcohol
- 12 mL of chloroformChloroformChloroform is an organic compound with formula CHCl3. It is one of the four chloromethanes. The colorless, sweet-smelling, dense liquid is a trihalomethane, and is considered somewhat hazardous...
- 4 mL of glacial acetic acidAcetic acidAcetic acid is an organic compound with the chemical formula CH3CO2H . It is a colourless liquid that when undiluted is also called glacial acetic acid. Acetic acid is the main component of vinegar , and has a distinctive sour taste and pungent smell...
This is the same proportion by volume as the previous formula, with the addition of ferric chloride.
Uses
Some of the uses of Carnoy's solution are:- Enhancing lymph node detection during dissection of cadavers.
- Immunohistochemical fixation and detection of NMDANMDAN-Methyl-D-aspartic acid or N-Methyl-D-aspartate is an amino acid derivative which acts as a specific agonist at the NMDA receptor mimicking the action of glutamate, the neurotransmitter which normally acts at that receptor...
receptors within the murineMouseA mouse is a small mammal belonging to the order of rodents. The best known mouse species is the common house mouse . It is also a popular pet. In some places, certain kinds of field mice are also common. This rodent is eaten by large birds such as hawks and eagles...
hippocampusHippocampusThe hippocampus is a major component of the brains of humans and other vertebrates. It belongs to the limbic system and plays important roles in the consolidation of information from short-term memory to long-term memory and spatial navigation. Humans and other mammals have two hippocampi, one in...
. - Applied directly following enucleationEnucleation (surgery)As a general surgical technique, enucleation refers to the surgical removal of a mass without cutting into or dissecting it.-Removal of the eye:Enucleation refers to removal of the eyeball itself, while leaving surrounding tissues intact....
for the treatment of keratocystic odontogenic tumors. - In some cases direct application following enucleation for certain kinds of unicystic ameloblastomaAmeloblastomaAmeloblastoma is a rare, benign tumor of odontogenic epithelium much more commonly appearing in the lower jaw than the upper jaw. It was recognized in 1827 by Cusack...
s. This appears to decrease the likelihood of recurrence over enucleation alone. Protein coagulation is thought to limit uptake of these toxic materials by surrounding tissues, however it is this fact that limits its usefulness as a treatment agent in general. - As a fixative for pap smearPap smearThe Papanicolaou test is a screening test used in to detect pre-cancerous and cancerous processes in the endocervical canal of the female reproductive system. Changes can be treated, thus preventing cervical cancer...
samples. - As a fixative agent for both nuclear and mitochondrial DNA in various tissues.
- As a fixative agent to preserve mucus, useful for tissue preparation before staining with periodic acid-Schiff base.