Alcianblue –PAS (Periodic-Acid-Schiff) - for simultaneous display of neutral and acid mucosubstances

Stain: Alcian Blue water-soluble phthalocyanine stain - (pH 2.5) - undifferentiated detection of acid mucosubstances, without distinction of carboxyl- and sulfate groups here: (pH 1.0) – inhibition of dissociation of carboxyl groups - differentiation between carboxyl and sulfate groups

Stain: PAS (Periodic Acid Schiff reaction) - Oxidation of hydroxyl group of polysaccharides with periodic acid to aldehyde groups, reaction also with equivalent structures (amino- or alklyamino groups instead of OH-groups) reaction with Schiff reagent – staining of the aldehyde groups PAS reaction include polysaccharides, neutral mucopolysaccharides, muco- and glycoproteins, glycolipids, unsaturated lipids and phospholipids

Method: Fixation: Formalin

Result: Alcian Blue and PAS reaction on standard tissue nuclei - blue acid glycosaminoglycan – pale pink acid mucopolysaccharides – bright blue mineralized hard tissue – pale red glycogen and glycoproteins – dark purple neutral mucopolysaccharides – purple Alcian Blue and PAS reaction on sponge tissue - Alcian Blue staining doesn´t work – no bright blue substances (saccharides), or no acid mucosubstances; Time to short (> 5 min) nuclei - blue - glycoproteins? – dark purple

Result: Spongin Glycoproteins? Nuclei