Summary
Acid mucopolysaccharides were investigated in cold microtome sections of normal and experimentally hydrated bovine corneas. Staining methods using cationic dyes were used for the detection.
A 10 min fixation of cold microtome sections in absolute alcohol did not change the stainability of acid mucopolysaccharides substantially. The staining was only a little fainter (as against unfixed sections). After 10 min fixation with formol-cetylpyridinium chloride the staining of sections was diminished and after 30 min fixation in this fluid completely abolished. After formol-calcium chloride fixative the staining was decreased in dependence on the time of fixation due to the elution of acid mucopolysaccharides in the fixative (acid mucopolysaccharides in the fixative were demonstrated by means of paper electrophoresis). Formolcalcium chloride is likewise unsuitable.
Experimental hydration of corneas in distilled water did not substantially alter the staining properties of acid mucopolysaccharides in cold microtome sections. Only quantitative differences were found in comparison with untreated corneas. These differences were due to hydration causing an increase in the distance of acidic groups among individual molecules of acid mucopolysaccharides.
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Čejková, J., Bolková, A. & Lojda, Z. A study of acid mucopolysaccharides in cold microtome sections of normal and experimentally hydrated bovine corneas. Histochemie 36, 167–172 (1973). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00304391
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00304391