Summary
The staining mechanism underlying the periodic acid—Schiff (PAS)—Alcian Blue (AB) sequence has been investigated using a variety of glycoprotein-containing tissues from different organs of the monkey, rat and mouse. The results obtained suggest that reactive carbohydrates contain at least three types of chemical end-groups found in neutral and acidic glycoproteins: (1) PA-engendered aldehyde groups coloured magenta by the Schiff reagent; (2) PA-engendered aldehyde groups coloured blue bisulphite-AB; and (3) naturally occurring acidic (carboxyl and/or sulphate) groups coloured blue by AB only. The PAS—AB sequence showed heterogeneity of glycoprotein structures in the conjunctiva and the duodenal goblet cells. Thus, the PAS—AB sequence is not the simple reverse sequence of AB—PAS but has its own definite and unique staining selectivity and can hence be used as a reliable method for the histochemistry of glycoproteins at the light microscope level.
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Yamabayashi, S. Periodic acid — Schiff — Alcian Blue: A method for the differential staining of glycoproteins. Histochem J 19, 565–571 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01687364
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01687364