Summary
The osmium tetroxide-potassium ferrocyanide (OsFeCN)-method has been applied to a variety (24 objects) of ciliates, algae, mosses, and higher plants in order to test its specificity. The results showed big variation. Depending on the object, either general staining of the membranes, or selective staining of certain membranes, and/or staining of non-membraneous components in secretory vesicles and cell walls was obtained. In some cases, ultrastructural preservation was better than in controls. It is concluded that this staining technique may be helpful in tracing certain membrane systems, but it seems by no means specific for calcium-sequestering membrane systems.
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With support of the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft
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Schnepf, E., Hausmann, K. & Herth, W. The osmium tetroxide-potassium ferrocyanide (OsFeCN) staining technique for electron microscopy: A critical evaluation using ciliates, algae, mosses, and higher plants. Histochemistry 76, 261–271 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00501928
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00501928