An argyrophil III method for the demonstration of smooth muscle cells in light and polarization microscopy.
An esterification with n-butyl alcohol containing 0.5% sulphuric acid (at 56 degrees C, for 16 hours) followed by a treatment in a special physical developer renders smooth muscle cells as well as other contractile elements (striated muscle, cilia, flagella, myoepithel cells) visible in light microscope and birefringent in polarization microscope. A few kinds of non-contractile tissue components without oriented fibrillary structure also stain but do not display birefringence.
D000818:Animals; D000845:Annelida; D001718:Birefringence; D002923:Cilia / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005407:Flagella / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006801:Humans; D008853:Microscopy; D008859:Microscopy, Polarization; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000166:cytology*; D009132:Muscles / Q000166:cytology; D012834:Silver; D013194:Staining and Labeling / Q000379:methods*
D012834:Silver