[Histonet] Movat Green connective tissue

[peptolab]

I invented a Movat modification in 1972 and so have a little experience with
this stain. Green connective tissue can stem from two causes. Sometimes the
connective tissue is green because it is particularly rich in alcianophilic
ground substance (extracellular matrix mucopolysaccharides) and  is lightly
collagenized, producing only fibrils rather than thick collagen bundles. You
remeber from art class that (alcian) blue plus (saffron)  yellow equals
green and there you go.
If your saffron is tired or even slightly waterlogged you might see this too
but densley ciollagenized tissue would be a very pale yellow not green. I
used to keep a layer of Drierite at the bottom of the stock bottle and
dehydrate with three changes of absolute before and after the saffron.

Hope this helps.

Jeff Silverman HT HTL QIHC
Pathologists' Assistant
Southside Hopsital
Bay Shore NY USA