SOME COMMENTS ON THE NINHYDRIN-SCHIFF REACTION

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Abstract
A review of the chemical basis of the ninhydrin-Schiff reaction indicates that this method demonstrates only free amino acids, but not peptides or proteins. Glycine, proline and hydroxyproline, which constitute approximately 50% of the amino acids in collagen, do not yield aldehydes and are therefore not visualized by the ninhydrin-Schiff method. Staining artifacts due to diffusion and to preformed aldehydes in tissues seem probable. It is concluded that the ninhydrin-Schiff reaction can not be considered a reliable method for the study of proteins in tissue sections.

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