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Comparison of the solophenyl-red polarization method and the immunohistochemical analysis for collagen type III

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Summary

In the present study, we have compared the staining pattern of the Solophenyl-Red 3 BL-method for the visualization of collagen type III with the immunohistochemical staining in serial sections from 7 skin wounds (wound age 3 days up to 4 weeks) to elucidate the specifity of the histochemical staining method. Large amounts of collagen type III were clearly detectable in the investigated wounds using the immunohistochemical technique. In the sections stained with Solophenyl-Red, however, only 3 out of 7 skin lesions showed a significant positive red staining at the wound margin or in the granulation tissue, while the adjacent normal connective tissue revealed a typical intensive staining. Using polarization microscopy no characteristic bright green fibrils, as reported for collagen type 111, could be seen in the wound areas without positive Solophenyl-Red staining. Since the localization of collagen type III detected by immunohistochemistry and the presumed distribution of this collagen type by the Solophenyl-Red method was not identical, the histochemical polarization method has to be regarded as non-specific for visualization of this collagen type.

Zusammenfassung

Zur Überprüfung der Spezifität der histochemischen Darstellung von Kollagen Typ III wurden Serienschnitte von 7 Hautwunden mit einem Wundalter zwischen 3 Tagen and 4 Wochen untersucht. Korrespondierende Präparate wurden nach der Solophenyl-Rot 3 BL-Methode and immunhistochemisch gefärbt, die Schnitte wurden licht- bzw. polarisationsmikroskopisch ausgewertet. Immunhistochemisch konnte in allen untersuchten Hautwunden Kollagen Typ III nachgewiesen werden. Nur 3 von 7 Solophenyl-Rot-gefärbten Hautwunden zeigten eine signifikante Rotfdrbung im Bereich der Läsion bei kräftiger Anfärbung des umgebenden Bin degewebes. Im polarisierten Licht konnten im Wundgebiet keine grün aufleuchtenden Fasern, die als charakteristisch für Kollagen Typ III aufgefaßt werden, beobachtet werden. Da keine Ubereinstimmung zwischen immunhistochemisch darstellbarem Kollagen Typ III und den unter polarisiertem Licht grünweiß aufleuchtenden Fasern in den Solophenyl-Rot-gefärbten Präparaten nachzuweisen war, muß eine Spezifität dieser histochemischen Färbemethode für Kollagen TypIII verneint werden.

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This study was supported by a grant from the “Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft” (Ei 209/3-1) and by a grant from the “Friedrich-Baur-Stiftung”, University of Munich, FRG

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Betz, P., Nerlich, A., Wilske, J. et al. Comparison of the solophenyl-red polarization method and the immunohistochemical analysis for collagen type III. Int J Leg Med 105, 27–29 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01371233

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01371233

Immunohistochemistry

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