DOI: 10.1369/0022155411418115 Localisation of a Wide-Ranging Panel of Antigens in the Rat Retina by Immunohistochemistry: Comparison of Davidson’s Solution and

The preferred fixative for whole eyes is Davidson’s solution, which provides optimal tissue preservation, while avoiding retinal detachment. Hitherto, the compatibility of Davidson’s solution with immunohistochemistry remains largely untested. The goal of the present study was to compare the immunolabelling patterns of a wide-ranging panel of commercially-available, previously-validated antibodies in formalin- and Davidson’s-fixed retinas. Immunohistochemistry was performed in normal pigmented rat eyes, and, in order to facilitate localisation of inducible proteins, eyes injected with the bacterial toxin lipopolysaccharide or subjected to laser-induced photoreceptor damage. Specificity of labelling was judged by the morphology and distribution of immunopositive cells, by the absence of signal in appropriate controls, and by comparison with expected staining patterns. Retinas fixed in formalin displayed only adequate morphological integrity, but were highly compatible with all 39 antibodies evaluated. Retinas fixed in Davidson’s solution displayed superior morphological integrity to those fixed in formalin. Generally, the cellular and subcellular patterns and intensities of immunoreactivities obtained with each fixative were identical; however, Davidson’s fixative wa