Acid Fuchsin   C.I. 42685

 

Properties

UV-VIS range: 542-546

Min. Dye Content: 60%

Molecular Formula: C20H17N3Na2O9S3 or C20H17CaN3O9S3 

Formula Weight: 585.55 or 579.65

Appearance: Green Crystaline Powder

Dye Class: Aminotriarylmethane

 

Biological Applications: Widely used plasma stain, which also has many other uses including staining connective tissue, mitochondria, and unaborted pollen grains. 

 

Commercial Applications: Textile Dye, dyeing of crepe paper, soap, and photographic film.

 

Altmann’s Stain for Mitochondria

 Preparation of Stain Solutions

1% Aqueous Methyl Green

            50 ml of Distilled Water

            500 mg of Methyl Green

            Let the mixture sit overnight to dissolve completely

 Aniline Acid Fuchsin

            Add a few drops of Aniline to 12ml of distilled water and saturate

            Shake solution and filter.

            Use 10ml of the filtrate and add 1g of Acid Fuchsin

            Dissolve completely, filter and pour into a dropper bottle.

Tissue Preparation: Fixation – Formalin Dichromate   Control – Kidney Tissue (Use Mullers or Regaud’s fluid as a pretreatment to embedding after formalin fixation and processing.)

 Staining Procedure

1.      Deparafinize sections through xylene.

2.      Hydrate tissues through graded ethanol.

3.      Rinse sections in distilled water.

4.      While holding the slide flat with forceps, add a few drops of aniline acid fuchsin to the section.

5.      Heat the section over an open flame until it begins to steam. (be careful not to overheat the section).

6.      Let the slide cool and continue staining for 5 minutes.

7.      Drain off the dye and rinse the slide in distilled water for 3 minutes.

8.      Place the slide into the Methyl Green solution for 30sec to 10minutes.  Look for differentiation, you may rinse the slide in 95%ethanol and examine under the microscope.  (The methyl green solution will remove or replace some of the red staining.)

9.      Differentiate the Methyl Green staining in 95% ethanol.

10. Run down through graded alcohols, xylene and mount.

 Results

            Mitochondira – red

            Nuclei – green

            Granules – red

 

Van Gieson's Stain

 

Preparation of Stain Solutions

1% aqueous acid fuchsin solution

 

Saturated aqueous picric acid solution

 

Weigert's iron Hematoxylin

    Stock Solution A

        Hematoxylin    1gm

        95% ETOH    100 ml

    Stock Solution B

        29% aquesous ferric chloride      4ml

        Distilled Water                          95ml

        Hydrochloric acid                        1ml

    Working Solution  - Equal parts of stock solutions A and B

 

Van Gieson's Staining Solution

    1% aquesous acid fuchsin              5ml

    Saturated aqueous Picric acid      50ml

    Distilled Water                            50ml

 Aniline Acid Fuchsin

            Add a few drops of Aniline to 12ml of distilled water and saturate

            Shake solution and filter.

            Use 10ml of the filtrate and add 1g of Acid Fuchsin

            Dissolve completely, filter and pour into a dropper bottle.

 

Staining Procedure

  1. Deparafinize sections through xylene.
  2. Hydrate tissues through graded ethanol.
  3. Rinse sections in distilled water.
  4. Place sections in Weigert's iron hematoxylin solution for 10-20 minutes.
  5. Rinse sections in running tap water for 10 minutes.
  6. Place sections in Van Gieson's stain for 5 minutes.
  7. Place slides in 95% ethanol and dehydrate through 100% ethanol..
  8. Clear through xylene and mount with a synthetic resin medium.Results            Collagen - red            Smooth and striated muscle - yellow            Nuclei - blue-black

REFERENCES:

Lillie, R.D. 1977. H.J. Conn's Biological Stains, 9th edition.  Williams & Wilkins, Baltimore.  pp. 588-589,285-286.

Sheenan, D.C., B.B. Hrapchak. Theory and practice of histotechnology, 2nd edition. Battelle Press, Columbus.  pp. 189.

Green, F.J. 1990. The Sigma-Aldrich Handbook of Stains, Dyes and Indicators. Aldrich Chemical Comnpany, Milwaukee. pp.19-21.

Conn, H.J, M.A. Darrow, V.M. Emmel 1960. Staining Procedures, 5th edition.  Williams & Wilkins, Baltimore. pp.165-166.