[Histonet] Toluidine Blue and staining archaeological residues.

[Birgitta Stephenson]

Hello Histonetters,
 
I am working with archaeological residues lifted from Holocene
grindstones. I was trying to find a stain that could differentiate
between plant and animal tissue in one hit. I have been using buffered
Toluidine Blue solutions however given that these are ancient residues
which are lifted using 20ul of water, the subtle colour differences
between blues, purples, and violets have not been useful. I was looking
at the possibility of counterstaining the Toluidine Blue stained
residues with say Phloroglucinol or IKI which would highlight the plant
component of the residue and then see if what was left looked like
collagen.  Has anyone tried this type of counterstaining? OR does anyone
know of a stain that would colour differently for plant and animals
understanding that this is not a tissue section but microscopic residues
in solution?
 
Thanks 
Birgitta Stephenson
The Research Microscopy Laboratory, University of Queensland.
-- 
  Birgitta Stephenson
  bstephen <@t> fastmail.fm

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