STAINING, PRACTICAL AND THEORETICAL 



Vital staining of neurological tissue in small vertebrates 



Solution required: 

 Alizarin Red, S, 2% aqueous 



Technique: 



1. Paraffin sections are brought down to distilled water by the 

 usual method. 



2. Stain twenty-four hours in 2% aqueous Alizarin Red, S. 



3. Differentiate thirty to sixty seconds in distilled water to 

 which has been added three drops 1% calcium acetate per 10 ml. 



4. Dehydrate : clear and mount. 



Note: This is a general stain which also demonstrates Nissl 

 bodies as well as other details. 



THE ALLOCHROME METHOD 



(Periodic Acid - Schiff - Haematylin - Aniline Blue) 

 For connective tissues 



Solutions required. 



A. Periodic acid, 1% aqueous 



B. Basic fuchsin 

 Potassium metabisulphite 

 HCl, N/15 .... 



Dissolve the basic fuchsin in the dilute hydrochloric 

 acid in a flask; then add the potassium metabisulphite; 

 plug the neck of the flask with cotton wool; shake at 

 intervals over a period of one to two hours until the 

 liquid assumes a clear pale yellow colour; then add: 



Decolorizing carbon . . i gm. 



Replace the cotton wool plug; shake for a few minutes; 

 then filter. The filtrate should be colourless. 



C. Potassium metabisulphite, 0-5% 



aqueous 



D. Weigert'shaematoxylinNo. i 



E. Weigert's haematoxylin No. 2 



F. Picric acid, saturated, aqueous . . 100 ml. 

 Aniline blue, aqueous . . • • 0-025 g- 



130 



I gm. 

 3-8 gm. 

 200 ml. 



