What does alcian blue PAS stain?
The Alcian blue at a pH of 2.5 will stain all acid mucins deep blue but will not color the neutral mucins. The subsequent application of the PAS technique will stain the neutral mucins bright magenta.
What is alcian blue used for?
Alcian Blue is a stain that is used to visualize acidic epithelial and connective tissue mucins. Mucins are a type of carbohydrate and are found in the GI tract and respiratory tract. Acidic mucins have a negative charge.
What can be stained with PAS?
Periodic acid–Schiff (PAS) is a staining method used to detect polysaccharides such as glycogen, and mucosubstances such as glycoproteins, glycolipids and mucins in tissues.
How do you detect mucin?
Techniques including ELISA, dot/slot blotting, and Western blotting, use of lectins and antibodies in mucin detection on membranes as well as immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence on both tissues and cells grown on Transwell™ inserts are described.
Does Alcian blue stain nucleus?
Results: Weakly acidic sulfated mucosubstances, hyaluronic acid, and sialomucins are stained dark blue. Nuclei and cytoplasm are red to pink or pale pink, respectively, if nuclear fast red counterstaining is used. Stain in Alcian blue solution, pH 1.0 for 30 min.
How does Alcian blue stain cartilage?
As a cationic dye, Alcian blue binds strongly to sulfated GAGs and glycoproteins, while Alizarin red, an anionic dye, binds to cationic metals such as calcium [1]. Because cartilage contains higher concentrations of GAGs than any other tissue, it binds more Alcian blue.
Does Alcian blue stain cartilage?
Alcian blue and Alizarin red stain cartilage and bone, respectively. As a cationic dye, Alcian blue binds strongly to sulfated GAGs and glycoproteins, while Alizarin red, an anionic dye, binds to cationic metals such as calcium [1].
Do PAS stain goblet?
The AB-PAS staining technique is a dual-purpose method for detecting goblet cells, and it stains both neutral and acidic mucins (Spicer, 1960). Both the mucicarmine and AB-PAS technique are specific for the mucins of epithelial origin. Mucicarmine is a very simple technique for the assessment of goblet cells.
What does alcian blue binds to?
1) Alcian Blue Alcian Blue is a basic dye containing copper, which gives it the blue color. The stain molecules carry a positive charge and are attracted to the negative mucins.
Is Alcian Blue toxic?
May cause irritation to the respiratory tract. Large oral doses may cause irritation to the gastrointestinal tract. May cause irritation to the skin. May cause irritation to the eyes.
What type of dye is Alcian blue?
Alcian Blue is a basic dye containing copper, which gives it the blue color. The stain molecules carry a positive charge and are attracted to the negative mucins. Adjusting the PH of the Alcian Blue solution allows the demonstration of sub-types of acid mucins.
How are Alcian blue / Pas control slides used?
Alcian blue/PAS control slides contain a section of positive staining small intestine. Newcomer supply alcian blue/PAS control slides are for the positive histochemical staining and differentiation of acidic epithelial mucins (sialomucin, sulfomucin), …
Why is Alcian blue used for PAS staining?
The rationale of the technique is that by first staining all the acidic mucins with Alcian blue, those remaining acidic mucins which are also PAS positive will be chemically blocked and will not react further during the technique. Those neutral mucins which are solely PAS positive will subsequently be demonstrated in a contrasting manner.
Can a neutral mucin be stained with alcian blue?
The Alcian blue at a pH of 2.5 will stain all acid mucins deep blue but will not color the neutral mucins. The subsequent application of the PAS technique will stain the neutral mucins bright magenta. Tissues or cells that contain both neutral and acidic mucins may demonstrate a dark blue or purple coloration (Figure 4).
When to use colloidal iron with alcian blue?
However, like Alcian blue the colloidal iron technique may be used in combination with the periodic acid also known as the Schiff technique. The PAS technique is perhaps the most versatile and widely used of the techniques for the demonstration of glycoproteins, carbohydrates and mucins.