[Specific and nonspecific fluorescence in the use of frozen sections of the cochlea].

Fresh frozen sections of unfixed inner ear tissue of the hamster were dried at room temperature and stored in a refrigerator (+4 degrees) in a wet chamber or at -20 degrees. It was demonstrated that our method for the storage of a tissue bank is suitable for the determination of antibodies in the serum of patients with inner ear diseases. To avoid floating tissue during washing and incubation the fresh frozen sections may also be slightly fixed by covering with gelatine or with a drop of acetone. Both techniques cause non-specific fluorescence. It is most advisable to dry the unfixed sections and to rinse them. Sections of stored renal, brain and inner ear tissue of the hamster also showed both a good preservation of the tissue structures and a perfect result of an antigen-antibody reaction. Relatively strong autofluorescence was found in the stria vascularis, the spiral ligament, the organ of Corti and in the basilar membrane. After incubation with normal serum, non-specific fluorescence was found in addition in the bone and in the tectorial membrane. This non-specific reaction can be avoided by rinsing and counterstaining. Up to now only those antibodies were demonstrated with inner ear tissue that had reacted with other tissues.