[Histonet] Von Kossa stain kit

[Jack Ratliff]

It has been my experience that you do not need to acid wash the glassware for the silver nitrate step. The only critical parts are the time (5 minutes) in silver nitrate (protected from light), the 3 dH2O rinses (also protected from light), developing time (2 minutes) in sodium carbonate-formaldehyde solution (protected from light), 2 dH2O rinses (no need to protect from light), the 30 seconds in Farmer's Diminisher (sodium thiosulfate-potassium ferricyanide solution) and tap water rinse.
 
The sodium-carbonate formaldehyde solution is use to chemically develop the silver attachment to any presence of mineralization. Most people use natural light, but the chemical step is more consistent in my opinion. Additionally, since the silver nitrate step is used to attach silver ions to the presence of minerals, the use of any metal is prohibited as it will also bind silver. However, if you use plastic, glass, or even stainless steel, no worries at all.
 
As for a reliable kit, I use the kit from Dorn and Hart Microedge (www.dornandhart.com). You can also choose you preferred counterstain with this kit. I routinely work with mineralized bone and therefore use the Von Kossa - MacNeal's Tetrachrome stain kit.
 
Hope this helps!
 
Best,
 
Jack
 

 

> Date: Tue, 4 Oct 2011 11:02:45 -0400
> From: MSHERWOOD <@t> PARTNERS.ORG
> To: histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
> Subject: Re: [Histonet] Von Kossa stain kit
> 
> Thought of another question! What other vendors do people order special stain
> kits? We have been using Poly Scientific, which is very good, but costly. 
> 
> Thanks!
> Peggy 
> 
> Peggy Sherwood
> Lab Associate, Photopathology
> Wellman Center for Photomedicine (EDR 214)
> Massachusetts General Hospital
> 50 Blossom Street
> Boston, MA 02114-2696
> 617-724-4839 (voice mail)
> 617-726-6983 (lab)
> 617-726-1206 (fax)
> msherwood <@t> partners.org
> 
> 
> 
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