[Histonet] RE: Decalcifying before HBQ

[Julien Lambrey de Souza]

Sorry. I guess I should have elaborated a bit on the stain.

HBQ = Hall and Brunt's Quadruple stain
Used to differenciate bone from cartillage and chondroid bone.

Deparaffinized sections are stained in aqueous celestine blue (0,5% in 
5% ammonium sulphate and 14% glycerin), Mayer's hematox, alcian blue 
(1% in 1% acetic acid, pH 2,6), Phosphomolybdic acid1% and aqueous 
direct red 0,5%.

All the protocols and pictures I have seen in publications are done on 
decalcified tissue. My question is the following: If my specimen cuts 
out nice sections without decalcification, will I get the intended 
staining (same as seen in publications) or will it be different from 
decalcified sections?

How does decalcification influence staining results?

Thanks for the imput.


Julien Lambrey de Souza
Research assistant, Evolutionary biology
University of Quebec at Rimouski

Tel: (418) 723-1986 #1714
Fax: (418) 724-1849