Methylene Blue Accumulation Research Articles

Vital methylene blue (MB): (I) preservation of MB for electron microscopy; (II) selectivity for interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC); (III) selective accumulation of MB in the endoplasmic reticulum of ICC

Vital methylene blue (MB): (I) preservation of MB for electron microscopy; (II) selectivity for interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC); (III) selective accumulation of MB in the endoplasmic reticulum of ICC

Light-Microscopic Demonstration of Methylene Blue Accumulation Sites in Mouse Brain after Supravital Staining

Mouse brains were stained supravitally with methylene blue and studied in paraffin sections by light microscopy. In the perikarya, the dye was found to bind primarily to the nuclei; only slight staining of the cytoplasm was observed. Dye accumulations within nerve fibers were found in the nodes of Ranvier and in the varicosities of the unmyelinated endings. Specific dye binding in dendrites corresponded mainly to beads and spines. The accumulation sites in terminal neuronal processes appeared to be closely related to the plasma membrane. These morphological data would explain the neurophysiologically proven interaction of the dye with calcium-binding sites in membranes.

Metabolic changes in stored blood measured by methylene blue

The accumulation of methylene blue by metabolizing red cells has been studied during various periods of storage. A progressive decrease in dye uptake occurs over a period of from 14 to 36 days. This change can be slowed or corrected by the addition of inosine at the onset or at the end of storage. These findings implicate the pentose shunt in the metabolic defect which develops during in vitro aging. It is suggested that measurement of methylene blue accumulation is a sensitive indicator of alterations in the metabolic integrity of the red cell and may be useful in the identification of the storage defect.