Orcein-alcian blue staining: a new technique for demonstrating acid mucins in gastrointestinal epithelium.
Orcein-alcian blue staining, a new method for the simultaneous demonstration of sulphated and sialomucins in gastrointestinal epithelium was compared with the standard high iron diamine-alcian blue technique. Sections were oxidised with potassium permanganate and decolourised in oxalic acid. They were stained with orcein for four hours, differentiated for a few seconds in acid alcohol, and then counterstained with alcian blue for half to one minute. There was a good correlation of results between the two methods. Orcein-alcian blue is a safer, cheaper, and quicker method than high iron diamine-alcian blue which can be safely introduced into routine laboratories for the study of acid mucins in the gastrointestinal diseases.
Singh
R
R
Department of Histopathology, Manor Hospital, Walsall, West Midlands.
Gorton
A W
AW
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000032:analysis / Q000473:pathology; D000236:Adenoma / Q000032:analysis / Q000473:pathology; D000423:Alcian Blue; D004848:Epithelium / Q000032:analysis / Q000473:pathology; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000032:analysis* / Q000473:pathology; D005770:Gastrointestinal Neoplasms / Q000032:analysis / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007211:Indoles; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000032:analysis* / Q000473:pathology; D009077:Mucins / Q000032:analysis*; D010078:Oxazines; D013194:Staining and Labeling / Q000379:methods
D007211:Indoles; D009077:Mucins; D010078:Oxazines; C002313:PAcein; D000423:Alcian Blue