An amphoteric character in mast cell granules of Amphisbaenia fuliginosa, a snakelike lizard.

Abstract

By the use of haematoxylin-eosin and Masson's trichrome staining techniques, and of histochemical tests with Alcian blue and metachromasia with toluidine blue, the mast cell granules of the snakelike lizard Amphisbaenia fuliginosa are shown to present an amphoteric character: they are stained by the acid as well by the basic dyes.This property is here discussed in function of the literature, with the main concern directed toward the taxonomic position of this animal. The Amphisbaenidae seem to represent an intermediate stage between lizards and ophidians.The mast cell granules of lizards are basophilic and metachromatic; in the ophidian, typical mast cells have not been evidenced yet, but a granular acidophilic cell has been demonstrated in the connective tissue. The basophilic and acidophilic characters of these two cells seem to be intermingled in the mast cell of the Amphisbaenidae.