0000000000746304
AUTHOR
Magdalena Cañete
A barium method for the cytochemical detection of sulfated glycosaminoglycans in mast cells and basophilic leukocytes.
Barium ions precipitate inorganic as well as organic sulfate compounds and they can be detected by a reaction with sodium rhodizonate. In this work, we describe the use of a barium method for the selective demonstration of sulfated glycosaminoglycans in cytoplasmic granules of mast cells and basophilic leukocytes. Methanol-fixed smears of mouse peritoneal mast cells and rat bone marrow basophils were treated with 5% BaCl2 for 10 min, followed by staining with either 0.2% sodium rhodizonate in 50% ethanol for 2 h at 60 degrees C, or 0.01% brilliant green in distilled water for 1 min. Light microscopic observation revealed a strong staining reaction of the cytoplasmic granules of these cell t…
Metachromatic staining and electron dense reaction of glycosaminoglycans by means of Cuprolinic Blue
The cationic phthalocyanin-like dye Cuprolinic Blue, unlike phthalocyanin dyes such as Alcian Blue or Astra Blue, can definitely exhibit a clear metachromatic reaction with appropriate substrates. The application of Cuprolinic Blue to epoxy-embedded semithin sections revealed that mast cell cytoplasmic granules, goblet cell mucin and cartilage matrix stained in violet shades (metachromatic), whereas nuclear chromatin presented a bright blue coloration (orthochromatic). The metachromatic structures showed a high degree of contrast when ultrathin sections treated with Cuprolinic Blue were examined by electron microscopy. Cytophotometric measurements of stained components from the large intest…