Alkaline bismuth reagent for high resolution ultrastructural demonstration of periodate-reactive sites.

Abstract

A simple technique is described for the ultrastructural localization of periodate-reactive mucosubstances and polysaccharides containing 1,2-glycols in thin sections of routinely fixed tissues. In this method the sugar residues are oxidized by periodic acid and the resulting aldehydes presumably reduce chelated bismuth subnitrate to metallic bismuth which then appears as a fine electron-opaque precipitate at the sites of the reducing sugars. The periodic acid-alkaline bismuth procedure provides a high resolution electron microscopic technique for demonstrating tissue sites of periodate-engendered groups very similar to the light microscopic periodic acid-Schiff reaction. The reaction can be prevented by the omission of periodate oxidation or alkaline bismuth subnitrate and by aldehyde blockage with the blocking agent, m-aminophenol. However, glycogen stains markedly without prior periodate oxidation, presumably through chelation of bismuth by hydroxyl groups. Other structures which stain without prior periodate oxidation are liver lysosomal dense bodies and, occasionally, ribosomes.