AN ESTABLISHED ROUTINE METHOD FOR DIFFERENTIAL STAINING OF EPOXY-EMBEDDED TISSUE-SECTIONS

  • 1 January 1980
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 83  (2) , 111-116
Abstract
A method is described for staining semithin sections of epoxy-embedded cells and tissues. Periodic acid-Schiff positive structures are specifically demonstrated by a red staining providing a vivid contrast to the other tissue components differentially stained in shades of blue, using methylene blue/azure II. Typical staining conditions for 1-2 .mu.m thick Epon sections include 30 min oxidation with 5% periodic acid at 50.degree. C, 30 min incubation with Schiff''s reagent at 50.degree. C, 20 min counter-staining with 0.5% methylene blue/0.5% azure II in 0.5% aqueous borax solution at room temperature. For 10 yr, this method has provided excellent differential staining with a variety of tissues. Stained sections showed no signs of fading during this time period. This procedure is recommended as a simple method of staining semithin sections both for tissue orientation in EM and for brilliant representation of cells and tissues, required for microphotography in color or black-and-white.

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