title: A comparison of iron histochemical methods for use on glycol methacrylate embedded tissues.
abstract: Four histochemical tests for iron and four procedures for its removal were investigated in regard to their suitability for glycol methacrylate embedded tissues. The HCl-ferrocyanide and chlorate hematoxylin methods were easily modified for plastic sections. The latter does not use iron-containing reagents. Desiderization was complete both after a fifteen minute exposure in 1% Na2S2O4 in 0.1 M acetate-HCl buffer (pH 4.5) and, if an acid method is preferred, after twelve hours in 5% oxalic acid. A six hour treatment in 3.7 N H2SO4 also removed all histochemical iron but was accompanied by a relatively greater loss of tissue basophilia.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002685:Chiroptera / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D006651:Histocytochemistry / Q000379:methods*; D007422:Intestines / Q000032:analysis; D007501:Iron / Q000032:analysis* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D008099:Liver / Q000032:analysis; D009928:Organ Specificity; D011102:Polyhydroxyethyl Methacrylate; D013154:Spleen / Q000032:analysis; D013270:Stomach / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D011102:Polyhydroxyethyl Methacrylate; D007501:Iron