[Histonet] Schiffs reagent viability test, qualitative

[Connie McManus]

I use warm tap water because that's where the slides go in the staining
procedure.  10% BNF is the recommended, but I've never noticed any
difference with the warm tap water.

Food for thought... 
Connie McManus
Utah Veterinary Diagnostics Laboratory
Utah State University
Logan, UT
Phone:  435/797-1891
fax: 435/797-2805
email: convmcm <@t> cc.usu.edu


-----Original Message-----
From: histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
[mailto:histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu] On Behalf Of Gayle
Callis
Sent: Wednesday, November 17, 2004 11:11 AM
To: Jenny Lucas; Histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
Subject: [Histonet] Schiffs reagent viability test, qualitative

10 mls formaldehyde, I often use neutral buffered formalin and add a few

drops of Schiffs reagent to this with a pasteur pipette. Use a clear
glass 
beaker so you can see color development easily.  The Schiffs reacts 
with  the -aldehyde, and fresh, new Schiffs will turn a very bright 
dark,  red-pink color VERY rapidly.

I suggest you try this with fresh newly opened reagent to see what color

you get - this will help you calibrate your eye to the color that
develops.

One caveat:  do NOT pour used Schiffs back into the Stock solution 
bottle,  we store used Schiffs that is contaminated with water carryover

from slides (dilution factor) in a separately labeled  bottle and if we 
reuse this, do the test first or toss used Schiffs if only using a few
mls 
i.e. 20 mls or so.  Also, if Schiffs develops a precipitate, we toss it
and 
we never allow it to freeze.

Gayle Callis
MT,HT,HTL(ASCP)
Research Histopathology Supervisor
Veterinary Molecular Biology
Montana State University - Bozeman
PO Box 173610
Bozeman MT 59717-3610
406 994-6367 (lab with voice mail)
406 994-4303 (FAX)



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