[Histonet] Stain for Cellulose

[Gayle Callis]

Tom,

This is a total shot in the dark, but cellulose, being a very large 
long-chain, complicated  polysaccharide, might stain with Grocotts 
Methenamine silver?   You may want to try some different chromic acid 
oxidation times to try and enhance the cellulose, but get rid of tissue 
components that stain positive for GMS.  In other words, overoxidize the 
tissue components so the cellulose is what you end up with.  Collagen may 
still stain, but you should be able to distinguish this morphologically. 
Chromic acid is often done for 1 hour, so maybe a time study to pull 
sections at 30 minutes, 1, hr, then 1.5 hours, 2 hours.

You could also try a Chromic acid Schiffs (NOT a PAS here) to see if fibers 
will stain dark pink compared to other tissue components.   Periodic acid 
may not be a strong enough oxidizer to do the job.

I have no clue if this would work, but it may be worth a try.

Gayle M. Callis
HTL(ASCP)HT,MT


----- Original Message ----- 
From: <thomas.crowell <@t> novartis.com>
To: <histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu>
Sent: Thursday, November 20, 2008 9:36 AM
Subject: [Histonet] Stain for Cellulose


>I am looking for a stain that will specifically label cellulose, mixed in
> with other mammalian tisssue elements.  Any ideas?
>
> Tom Crowell
> Novartis Institute for BiomedicalReseach
> Cambridge, MA
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