Methanol fixation and staining kit

Dehydrants such as methanol and acetone remove and replace free water in the cell and tissue, and cause a change in the tertiary structure of proteins by destabilizing the hydrophobic interaction and the hydrogen bonds. Hydrophobic areas, frequently found on the inside of protein molecules, are exposed due to the repulsion of water, allowing antibody access to otherwise inaccessible protein domains.

Methanol fixation is particularly useful for polymeric or oligomeric protein structures, such as extracellular matrix, cell junction complex, and focal adhesion complex. Because methanol can partially dissolve lipids, methanol fixation offers better antibody access to the cytoplasm of the cell. The disadvantage is that the morphology of plasma membrane is not well preserved.

Because acetone is a stronger solvent for lipids and a stronger denaturant for proteins than methanol, BiCell Scientific has found that a 1:3 mixture of acetone with methanol allows better fixation and antibody labeling than methanol alone.