sodium borohydride and autofluorescence

[Martin Offterdinger]

On Fri, 23 May 1997 22:36:18 -0700, Tom Frey <tomfrey at sprintmail.com>
wrote:

>Guy Hermans wrote:
>> 
>> In article
>> <Fergus.Doherty-ya02408000R2205971605060001 at news.nottingham.ac.uk>,
>> Fergus.Doherty at nottingham.ac.uk (Fergus Doherty) wrote:
>> 
>> > Anyone know how to reduce/abolish autofluorescence on formain fixed,
>> > paraffin embedded sections of human endometrium?  (Obviously dewaxed before
>> > use, but which give a high fluorescent background never having seen any
>> > antibody).
>> 
>> > Fergus.Doherty at nottingham.ac.uk
>> 
>> In flow cytometry we try to avoid formalin fixation as much as possible -
>> it's knows to cause a drastic increase in autofluorescence, creating a
>> very high background. Try another fixative!
>> 
>> Guy
>> 
>> --
>> Guy Hermans, PhD student
>>   Ms research Unit              Immunology research group
>>   Dr. L. Willems-Institute      Dept. of Physiology, LUC
>>   University Campus             University Campus
>>   B-3590 Diepenbeek             B-3590 Diepenbeek
>>   Belgium                       Belgium
>> Voice  ++32(0)11/26.92.07
>> Fax    ++32(0)11/26.92.09
>
>Actually, in flow we frequently use paraformaldehyde (dilute formalin)
>but studiously avoid glutaraldehyde.  (EM grade glutaraldehyde is
>apparently OK and some people use it)  There are some tricks with
>reducing agents (sodium borohydride) that have been published for flow
>to reduce flourescece
What does sodium borohydride do-I mean I know that it is a reducing
agent, but why should it reduce autofluorescence?? Does anyone know
this?
Martin