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Abstract

A unique cytologic and histologic fixative formulation and methods for using that formulation are disclosed. The formulation fixes and preserves individual cells, aggregates of cells and small fragments of tissue in a liquid suspension; minimizes protein precipitation in the liquid suspension; selectively eliminates or reduces red blood cell contamination of cytologic material and cytologic specimen slides; retains tissue samples that are incidentally collected along with cytologic material for further histologic processing; and allows shipment of cytologic material under conditions typically encountered in postal carriage, permitting remote users without available cytologists, cytotechnologists or other personnel experienced in the preparation of cytologic samples to have technically satisfactory cytologic sample slides, and which formulation comprises in combination: (a) N,N-dimethylformamide, about 10 to about 50 percent by volume; (b) an alcohol, from about 0 to about 50 percent by volume; (c) water or other diluent, from about 80 to about 0 percent by volume; (d) formalin, from about 0 to about 3 percent by volume; (e) polyethylene glycol, from about 0 to about 10 percent by volume; and (f) a tertiary amine or other suitable buffer solution having pH greater than about 7.6, from about 0 to about 2 percent by volume.

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First Claim