The same paraffins used for general histology are also employed for embedding tissue for immunohistochemistry or IHC. In clinical laboratory applications, products such as Paraplast, Paraffin Pastilles, Histosec Paraffin Pastilles, or similar products are utilized. These products are generally modified to make the paraffin more suitable for histology or IHC. Plain paraffins are not generally considered suitable for most histology or IHC applications.
DMSO is a common modifier, although it presents some safety concerns when embedding paraffin blocks. Users may get some paraffin on their fingers during tissue embedding with paraffin. For concerns about the safety of coming in contact with DMSO, there are paraffins such as product 1071642504 that use select polymers to enhance the performance of plain paraffin. The polymers, being of higher molecular weight, are not easily absorbed through the skin, making them safer for use.
