THE EFFECT OF VARIOUS SOLVENTS 



AND OTHER CONDITIONS ON PERIODATE 



OXIDATION OF CARBOHYDRATES 



IN THE PAS REACTION 



J. F. A. McMANUS 



A variety of solvents hâve been investigated with the periodic acid Schiff 

 (PAS) reaction for 1, 2 glycols in tissue sections. Some variability was 

 found in a number of substances staining in tissue according to the sol- 

 vent used and the extent of the staining. Substances showing a différent 

 staining according to the solvent included corpora amylacea, the ground 

 substance of cartilage and bone and the aging (wear and tear pigment) of 

 heart muscle. The solvents used were distilled water, ether, chloroform, 

 glacial acetic acid and phosphate buffers from pH 3*5 to pH 11*0. Corpora 

 amylacea was stained by Schiff's reagent much better after oxidation by 

 periodic acid in ether than after oxidation in any other solvent. The same 

 is true of the ground substance of cartilage and bone but the superiority of 

 ether over glacial acetic acid as a solvent for the periodic acid was not 

 so striking as in the case of corpora amylacea. The wear and tear pigment 

 of heart muscle stained best with aqueous periodate. Other conditions of 

 oxidation will be discussed and demonstrated. 



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