Mucin Alcian Blue

Staining for thirty minutes in filtered 0.1% Alcian blue in 3% acetic acid, pH 2.5-2.8, colors the mucins of connective tissues, most epithelium, and certain microbial capsules (84h) deep blue to turquoise, with little or no staining of nucleic acids. Results with the Alcian blue stain resemble more those obtained with the better variants of the dialyzed iron procedure than those obtained with metachromatic dyes. In the case of epithelial mucins, Alcian blue has much greater sensitivity than toluidine blue. 

M54. Mowry, R. W., The special value of methods that color both acidic and vicinal hydroxyl groups in the histochemical study of mucins. With revised directions for the colloidal iron stain, the use of alcian blue G8X and their combinations with the periodic acid-Schiff reaction. Ann. N. Y. Acad. Set. 106, 402-423 (1963). 

Fig. 2. Histochemical staining of control and VeMi-null aorta for elastin, mucins, and smooth muscle. (A) Control aorta stained for elastin with Hart s stain showing 5-6 elastic lamellae and (B) Ae 7-null aorta showing the abnormal separation between the elastic lamellae. (C) Control aorta stained for sialomucins with Alcian blue (blue) with elastic lamellae appearing opaque and (D) Neul-miR aorta stained for sialomucins indicating the large mass of positive material between elastic lamellae. (E) Control aorta immunostained for smooth muscle with an antibody to alpha-smooth muscle actin (red) showing the thin area between elastic lamellae and (F) Afe 7-nuU aorta showing the increased mass of smooth muscle between elastic lamellae, whereas some areas were devoid of smooth muscle (arrow). Scale bar, 22 pm. From Starcher et (See Color Plate 46.)...

Within a week of dietary treatment, Harman et al. (113) have observed the formation of apical cellular vesicles in the gallbladder mucosa, PAS-staining material on the surface of the mucosa and in the crypts, and the occurrence of 1-2 mm surface gel particles staining intensely with PAS, mucicarmine, and alcian blue (see also references 5 and 8). Bile hexosamine levels were also increased (169 40 jug % versus U3 22 jug %). These findings suggest that increased mucin formation and excretion are early results of the lithogenic diet. A similar conclusion has been from studies on mucin secretion in dihydrocholesterol-induced cholelithiasis in rabbits (114-116) (see Section IVB). It is not known whether this increased mucin secretion is common to all forms of cholelithiasis, what the mechanism is, or whether it is the same in both of these experimental models. In rabbits, it apparently depends on a factor excreted in bile, since it can be prevented by cystic duct ligation (116), but the factor or factors responsible have not been identified. 

Aldan Blue 8GS, This is a derivative of chloromethylated copper phthalocyanin, probably a tetraalkylthiouronium or pyridinium salt (93a). First used as a stain for mucin by Steedman (9Sb), Alcian blue acts like a basic dye but is unusually fast and resistant to various chemical agents. The coloration of acidic carbohydrates by the original procedure is not very selective. Stronger and more selective coloration of acidic carbohydrates results when a lower pH and dye concentration are used (PSc, 93d). 

Sc) is a simpler and more selective procedure for the coloration of both acidic groups and vicinal glycols than the Ritter-Oleson method 91) described above. The combination procedure gives a more complete demonstration of carbohydrates, e.g., epithelial mucins, than either method used alone. Alcian blue can be used at different pH levels for the study of dyebinding capacity and in acidified 70% alcohol for staining water-soluble, alcohol-insoluble substances 75),... 

By freeze-fracture analysis, this amorphous material was found to be associated with the openings of plasma membrane vesicles. The amorphous material did not stain with PAS or Alcian blue or fluorescent lectins and was thereby thought unlikely to be mucin or other glycoprotein (Williams and Elias, 1981). 

Ershov, V. A. Sidorin, V. S. RyUo, A. G. Method for differential diagnosis of primary and secondary liver cancer involving cytological and cytochemical analysis of tumor trepanobiopsy specimens stained with azure-eosine, alcian blue, or Sudan III to determine mucin or hpid inclusions. Russ. RU 2327422, 2008 Chem. Abstr. 2008,149, 76596. 

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