[Histonet] Multiple stain for epoxy sections

[Duraine, Lita]

Hello Histonet Users,
I have decided that I should ask the experts.  I regularly thick section muscle sections in Embed 812 for bouton identification.  I normally use Toluidine blue.  I am having trouble differentiating between boutons and a type of vacuole that occurs within the same tissue and sometimes same area using TB.  Under the LM they can sometimes appear the same.  That is until you get it in the TEM and then you have a vacuole and not a bouton.   In the Light Microscope the slide under an oil lens doesn't really indicate sub synaptic reticulum other than a darker area.   Does anyone know of a multiple stain that can be used for epoxy resin sections (no methanol or Ethanol) that would stain SSR or vesicles a different color from other surrounding areas.  I have checked online and indeed there are many stains but from what I read the protocols are for paraffin sections.  Surely there is something.

Thank you,

Lita Duraine
EM Technologist
Bellen Lab
HHMI- Molecular Genetics
Duncan Neurological Research Institute
1250 Moursund St.
Houston, TX 77030
Rm: N1165.17
MS: N1125.50
832-824-8772 TEM Room
979-549-6526 Cell
http://flypush.imgen.bcm.tmc.edu/lab/people/lita.php