Fixing non adherent cells - (Sep/07/2007 )

What will happen if i try and fix recently trypsinized with formaldhyde? Will they stick to the bottom of the well? Will they stain with a fluorescent dye?

Thank you in advance

After U fix the cells with formaldehyde, the cells are dead so they will not adhere like the adherent cells but I am not sure if because of formaldehyde the cells will stick to the sides of the container.

Regarding, staining, it will depend on the antigen U want to label. If U are planing intracellular then U will have to permeablise and then stain. The surface antigens may be altered by fixation. U better check by doing FCM before ur experiment. I am studying one antigen and I have done comparison of before and after fixation and they were ok.

Yes, you can fixed recently trypsinized cells. However, if you are intending to do further IF, then it is not a good idea. Unless your cells are suspension cells (which I doubt, because you have to trypsinize them), for adherent cells, if you want good IF, the cells should be spread out, which can't be achieved if you tripsinize them. The fixing will just fix cells as they are at their current state (round up after tripsinization), which would not give good picture.
On the other hand, if you want to stain for other purposes (not for taking pictures), then it is OK. I just could not figure out what the purpose is. Surely not FACS (you are fixing cells to the wells), maybe something special? But of course it all depends on your exps.