postfiˈxation, a. and n.
A. adj. Biol. [post- B. 1 a.] Carried out or used after the fixation of tissue.
| 1958 J. R. Baker Princ. Biol. Microtechnique i. 30 The fixative..may be unsuitable for indefinite preservation... In such cases a post-fixation preservative may be used. 1961 Jrnl. Biophysical & Biochem. Cytol. XI. 492 (heading) Method for obtaining increased contrast in Araldite sections by using postfixation staining of tissues with potassium permanganate. 1966 R. Mahoney Lab. Techniques Zool. v. 285 (heading) Post-fixation preservatives. |
B. n.
1. Anat. [post- B. 2 b.] The state of a nerve of being postfixed (sense 2).
| 1953 G. A. G. Mitchell Anat. Autonomic Nervous Syst. xiv. 202 The sympathetic preganglionic fibres issuing from the cord are found chiefly in all the thoracic and upper two lumbar ventral nerve roots, although occasionally prefixation or postfixation may occur in association with coincident shifts of somatic nerves. 1957 Ann. R. Coll. Surgeons England XXI. 367 Table II shows that..there is a much higher incidence of ‘postfixation’. |
2. Biol. [post- A. 1 b.] Fixation of tissue that has already been treated with a fixative.
| 1963 Jrnl. Cell Biol. XVII. 28/2 For adequate post-fixation in osmium tetroxide of tissues fixed in the aldehydes..the blocks were washed in buffered sucrose solution. 1967 Jrnl. Cell. Sci. II. 379 Post-fixation in osmium tetroxide was carried out for not less than 1 h. 1975 Nature 18 Dec. 613/2 Double fixation for blood cells with glutaraldehyde and osmium, followed by uranyl acetate postfixation, was also used. |