Staining of Lipids by the Per iodic-Acid-Schiff Reaction

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Abstract
Unsaturated lipids stain with Schiff''s reagent after oxidation with periodate (PAS reaction). The reaction is not inhibited by previous acetylation according to the technic of McManus and Cason. Sphingolipids stain with the PAS technic whether they contain a carbohydrate moiety or not. Their reactivity may be ascribed to the presence of a hydroxy and an amino group on vicinal carbon atoms of the sphingosine moiety, and to the double bond in the fatty acid radical. Acetylation reduces but does not abolish the staining ability of sphingolipids, since the double bond is not affected by the procedure. The PAS method is not suitable for the differentation of Niemann-Pick from Gaucher cells. The ability of liver cell granules and of some renal tubule cell granules in fresh frozen sections to stain with PAS was abolished by acetylation, and largely restored by deacetylation. The fact that the staining of reticulin fibers in walls of vessels was not completely prevented by acetylation is considered as indicative of the presence of unsaturated fatty acid radicles in these structures.

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