title: Use of tannic acid as a fixative-mordant to improve the ultrastructural appearance of Candida albicans blastospores.
abstract: Blastospores of Candida albicans, grown in YM broth (Difco, pH 6.0), were treated with tannic acid as part of a fixation schedule with glutaraldehyde and osmium tetroxide. The results obtained were compared to routine fixation procedures employing glutaraldehyde-osmium tetroxide and potassium permanganate, as well as several schedules using various combinations of the aforementioned fixatives. Glutaraldehyde-osmium tetroxide-tannic acid fixed cells had several morphological structures accentuated, including sharply delineated cytoplasmic and organelle membranes, a detailed cytoplasmic matrix, and an intensified layered cell wall. Tannic acid has been found to react as a mordant between osmium tetroxide and lead citrate, forming a "stabilizing matrix" within the cells. Blastospores appeared to have an improved comprehensive ultrastructural appearance, a result of the tannic acid-matrix preserving cellular components for electron microscopy.
mesh_terms: D002176:Candida albicans / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D002473:Cell Wall / Q000648:ultrastructure; D003470:Culture Media; D005404:Fixatives; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D047348:Hydrolyzable Tannins; D009940:Organoids / Q000648:ultrastructure; D013172:Spores, Fungal / Q000648:ultrastructure; D013634:Tannins
chemical_list: D003470:Culture Media; D005404:Fixatives; D047348:Hydrolyzable Tannins; D013634:Tannins