Overview
Treating cells with paraformaldehyde leads to the establishment of chemical cross-links between free amino groups. When the cross-links join different molecules, a latticework of interactions occurs that holds the overall architecture of the cell together. Commercial formaldehyde solutions are not recommended, because they lack the advantages of using a variable-length polymer, and the cells will simultaneously be fixed with the alcohol (usually methanol.
Ed Harlow and David Lane
Details
Details of this protocol, Fixing Attached Cells In Paraformaldehyde-SUBSCRIPTION REQUIRED, are located on a web site other than Biocompare Protocols.