title: Demonstration of microorganisms in tissues by the ABT and KOH-ABT topo-optical reactions.
abstract: The aldehyde-bisulphite-toluidine blue (ABT) reaction, as a selective topo-optical test of vicinal OH and amino-OH groups is suited for the selective demonstration in tissues of microorganisms of polysaccharide containing cells. Alkaline pretreatment of the polysaccharide cell walls, releases, by splitting the O-acyl radicals, further vicinal OH groups for the ABT reaction, thus actually increases the sensitivity of the method. The topo-optical reactions are characterized by a strong birefringence induced by oriented dye-binding, due to the linear arrangement of polysaccharides composing the cell wall. Differences in the character of birefringence have made it possible to work out a new method for the analysis of the cell wall ultrastructure as well as to demonstrate microorganisms in tissues. The practical value of the reactions is illustrated by examples.
mesh_terms: D000447:Aldehydes; D006801:Humans; D007668:Kidney / Q000382:microbiology; D008099:Liver / Q000382:microbiology; D008168:Lung / Q000382:microbiology; D008828:Microbiological Techniques; D013154:Spleen / Q000382:microbiology; D013194:Staining and Labeling / Q000379:methods*; D013447:Sulfites; D014052:Toluidines
chemical_list: D000447:Aldehydes; D013447:Sulfites; D014052:Toluidines