Immunocytochemistry of human brain tissue with a polyclonal antiserum against neuropeptide Y.

NPY-containing neuronal structures in the cerebral cortex of surgical tissue samples were compared to those in postmortem material by immunocytochemical methods. However, the quality of preservation of individual neurons and axonal and dendritic plexuses in the neuropil is unusually fine in the surgical specimens. This result is most likely attributable to the excellent fixation that can be regularly achieved by rapid and careful handling of tissue during and after surgical removal. The tissue is suitable for both light and electron microscopy, and the superior preservation also leads to intense, reliable antibody reactions. Postmortem tissue samples can provide good specimens for immunocytochemistry when properly handled as previously described. However the postmortem delays prior to fixation disrupt neuronal integrity in the immunostained structures. Nevertheless, postmortem material from carefully studied subjects of neurological diseases compared with age matched controls can provide valuable information.