Canine bone marrow study spotlights processing effects on IHC
CURRENT BRIEF VERSION: A new Veterinary Pathology study adds evidence that how canine bone marrow is processed before staining can materially affect downstream testing. In related work from the same research group, investigators at the University of Guelph and UC Davis found that demineralization with EDTA produced better marrow histomorphology than hydrochloric or formic acid, while the choice between acetic acid-zinc-formalin and neutral-buffered formalin had little effect on morphology. EDTA-treated samples also preserved DNA for PCR far better than acid-treated samples, reinforcing a broader concern in bone and marrow pathology that acid decalcification can compromise antigen and nucleic acid integrity. That concern is not limited to marrow: other mineralized tissues can still yield high-quality DNA when EDTA-based digestion is used, as shown by a separate Animals study that generated complete microsatellite genotypes from all 60 deer antler and prepared trophy skull samples using an EDTA-buffer extraction workflow. International bone marrow IHC guidance likewise recommends EDTA-based decalcification when immunohistochemistry is planned. (pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
Why it matters: For veterinary pathologists and diagnostic labs, this is a pre-analytic issue with real clinical consequences. Bone marrow cores are often limited, and the same specimen may need to support histology, immunohistochemistry, and molecular assays such as PARR. If acid demineralization weakens epitopes or damages nucleic acids, labs risk false-negative or less interpretable results, especially in workups for hematopoietic neoplasia or infectious disease. The practical takeaway is familiar but increasingly well supported: EDTA is slower, but it may better protect diagnostic value when ancillary testing is likely. Evidence from other hard tissues also supports that tradeoff, with EDTA-based extraction enabling reliable genotyping even from processed deer antlers and trophy skulls. (pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
What to watch: Watch for the immunohistochemistry-focused paper to clarify which canine marrow markers are most affected, and whether labs adjust decalcification protocols or triage workflows in response. The broader lesson for veterinary diagnostics is whether more labs start treating mineralized tissues as molecular specimens first, not just histology specimens. (pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)