[Histonet] Alcian Blue Quality Control

[Akemi Allison-Tacha]

Hi JR R,

You can go on line to the Biological Stains Commission
website and check out who else supplies Alcian Blue. 
It won't give you the % of dye content, but will tell
you the various companies that have passed their
testing parameters.  I for one like Anatechs' Alcian
Blue dye.  They have always had a very consistant dye.

Hope this helps
Akemi
--- JR R <rosenfeldtek <@t> hotmail.com> wrote:

> 
> I have used Alcian Blue 8GX from Sigma for years
> with pretty good results.  But I have had some
> variations in staining lately and noticed that the
> powder in the new lot isn't quite as dark as the
> previous lot.  Finally, I noticed that Sigma only
> guarantees the product to be have a dye content of
> "at least" 50%.
>  
> 
> I would like to try to assay the dye content myself,
> so I could make my solutions to the sane strength
> every time.    Sigma says they don't know hw, they
> have no idea what the molar extinction coefficient
> of the compound is, and they refuse to tell me the
> name of the lab that does the QC.
>  
> 
> The only thing I know is that it has a major
> absorbance peak at 610 nm.
> 
> Oh, rumor says there was an aticle about it in
> Histochemie back in 1972.
> 
> Any ideas?
> 
> Jerry Ricks
> Research Scientist
> University of Washington
> Department of Pathology
>  
>  
>
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Akemi Allison-Tacha, BS, HT(ASCP)HTL
Client Services Manager
PhenoPath laboratories
551 North 34th Street, Suite 100 
Seattle, WA 98103-8675
Work: (206) 374-9000
Cell: (425) 941-4287
E-Mail: akemiat3377 <@t> yahoo.com