Histochemical demonstration of carbohydrates by a convenient sulphation technique.

Abstract

A simple and convenient procedure has been devised for the staining of carbohydrate derivatives in tissue sections. Dewaxed sections are sulphated either by immersion in a 1:1 acetic-sulphuric acid mixture for 10–15 minutes or by exposure to sulphuryl chloride vapour for 15–20 minutes. The slides are then stained in a 0.05% solution of methylene blue buffered to aph of 2.4. Highly selective staining of tissue carbohydrates is obtained. The acetic-sulphuric mixture rapidly hydrolyses glycogen which is therefore lost, but the sulphuryl chloride technique produces intense staining of glycogen. The various steps in the technique are discussed, with particular emphasis on the reasons for the final choice of conditions. These sulphation techniques have several advantages over the PAS procedure: the overall picture obtained is clearer; definition at high magnifications is often better; and the versatility of the technique can be widened by varying the precise conditions of sulphation and staining to suit the particular problem being studied.