VitroView Alcian Blue Stain Kit (#VB-3003)
 
Description
This kit is designed to stain formalin fixed, paraffin embedded tissue sections and may be used for frozen sections as well.  Alcian blue stains acid mucosubstances and acetic mucins. Excessive amounts of non-sulfated acidic mucosubstances are seen in mesotheliomas, certain amounts occur normally in blood vessel walls but increase in early lesions of atherosclerosis. Strongly acidic mucosubstances will be stained blue, nuclei will be stained pink to red, and cytoplasm will be stained pale pink.    
 
Kit Contents
VB-3003-1 Alcian Blue Solution (pH2.5) – 250 ml
VB-3003-2 Nuclear Fast Red Solution —–250 ml
 
Storage Condition:
Room temperature.
 
Protocol
Deparaffinize in Xylene I for 6 minutes and II for 6 minutes.
Rehydrate: ethanol 100% (2 minutes)x2; ethanol 95% (2 minutes)x2; ethanol 70% (2 minutes)x1; Rinse in distilled water (5 minutes).
Stain in alcian blue solution for 30 minutes.
 Wash in running tap water for 2 minutes.
Rinse in distilled water.
Counterstain in nuclear fast red solution for 5 minutes.
Wash in running tap water for 1 minute.
Dehydrate with 3 changes of 95% Ethanol and 2 changes of 100% Ethanol (2 minute per change).
Clear with 3 changes of xylene (5 minute per change)
Mount coverslip onto glass slide with Permount or some other suitable organic mounting medium.
 
Results
Strongly acidic sulfated mucosubstances ————–blue
Nuclei —————————————————— pink to red
Cytoplasm ————————————————- pale pink
 
Positive Controls
        Small intestine, appendix, or colon.
 
Note
This product is intended for research purposes only. This product is not intended to be used for therapeutic or diagnostic purposes in humans or animals.
 
Precautions
Handle with care. Avoid contact with eyes, skin and clothing. Do not ingest. Wear gloves.