Alcian blue, complexes with

Quantitation of heparin by photodensitometry may be performed after staining the electrophoretic strips with such dyes as Alcian Blue or Toluidine Blue. Alternatively, the heparin- dye complex may be eluted, for spectrophotometry in solution.68... 

Analysis. — Glycosaminoglycuronans in urine and blood have been measured following formation of soluble complexes with Alcian Blue. The method is based on differences in absorption spectra of the dye and dye-glycosamino-glycuronan complexes. The extent of complex formation between Alcian Blue and glycosaminoglycuronans in solutions of dimethylsulphoxide has been shown to depend both on the concentration of polysaccharide and the composition of the dimethylsulphoxide solution. 

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