ACETYLATION BLOCKADE OF THE CHROMOTROPY AND BASOPHILIA OF VARIOUS HISTOLOGIC SUBSTRATES

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Abstract
Acetylation abolishes metachromatic staining of certain mucins, notably those which stain metachromatically only at or above pH 2.3-3.0, and the metachromasia produced by chromic acid oxidation, which are both presumably due to carboxyl groups. Mucopolysaccharides staining strongly metachromatically at pH 1.5, including those produced artificially by sulfation of neutral polysaccharides show no loss of metachromasia from interposed acetylation. Some mucopolysaccharides with weaker metachromasia on staining with 0.05% toluidine blue at pH 1.5, exhibit a partial loss of metachromasia on acetylation. Most mucopolysaccharides which lose their chromotropy on acetylation, recover it on deacetylation. However, mucins of ox and sheep submaxillary gland and hedgehog retrolingual gland, which are known to be rich in sialic acid, do not recover metachromasis with deacetylation. These studies appear to afford fresh methods for the differentiation of the functional end groups of the acid mucopolysaccharides.

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