[Histonet] Suggestions for staining ground substances in the Heart

[Tony Henwood (SCHN)]

If the ground substance and mucin are not staining, it would be a problem with the alcian blue solution.

Microscopically check the slides after the alcian blue step - if no or weak staining then:
1.	Is the alcian blue at pH 2.5 or is it pH1 - (goblet cells in stomach and ground substance rarely stain at pH 1)?
2.	Is the alcian blue dye of good quality. There are several out there - use Certified dyes.

Hopefully this helps

Regards 
Tony Henwood JP, MSc, BAppSc, GradDipSysAnalys, CT(ASC), FFSc(RCPA) 
Laboratory Manager & Senior Scientist, the Children's Hospital at Westmead
Adjunct Fellow, School of Medicine, University of Western Sydney 
Tel: 612 9845 3306 
Fax: 612 9845 3318 
Pathology Department
the children's hospital at westmead
Cnr Hawkesbury Road and Hainsworth Street, Westmead
Locked Bag 4001, Westmead NSW 2145, AUSTRALIA 


-----Original Message-----
From: Wolfe, Christina [mailto:christina.wolfe at bms.com] 
Sent: Wednesday, 1 July 2015 1:15 AM
To: histonet at lists.utsouthwestern.edu
Subject: [Histonet] Suggestions for staining ground substances in the Heart

Hi all,
We are interested in staining ground substances in the heart.  Are there other stains that will work beside the Pentachrome?  We have tried the Movat's pentachrome (commercial kit) and are able to demonstrate ground substance in the bone with the alcian blue part of this stain.  In our hands the goblet cells of the gut and the ground substance in the heart are devoid of staining.  We have tried sections cut at 4 and 6 microns.  Any thoughts/suggestions?

Kristie

Christina Wolfe, BSHA, MLT (ASCP), HT, QIHC Drug Safety Evaluation/Bristol-Myers Squibb Pathology Dept.
812-307-2093


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