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Golgi-like demonstration of “dark” neurons with an argyrophil III method for experimental neuropathology

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Summary

A silver method is proposed for the selective, well-contrasted and reproducible demonstration of “dark” neurons in frozen, vibratome and paraffin sections cut at a thickness of 5 to 200 μm from aldehyde-fixed brains. The Golgi-like staining of the dendrites enables asorting of “dark” neurons according to characteristic neuron classifications. The staining procedure includes an esterification with 1-propanol, a treatment with diluted acetic acid and development. The esterification strongly increases the argyrophilia of both “dark” neurons and mitochondria. Unwanted co-staining of mitochondria is suppressed by the acetic acid treatment, while a special developer is used to render the staining controllable. The applicability of the method to experimental neuropathology is demonstrated by Golgi-like staining of “dark” neurons in rat brains exposed, before transcardial perfusion-fixation and delayed autopsy, to various pathological conditions including ischemia, hypoglycemia, trauma, status epilepticus, deafferentation and poisoning with kainic acid, colchicine and sodium azide, respectively.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurosurgery, University of Pécs, Rét utca 2, H-7623, Pécs, Hungary

    F. Gallyas & G. Zoltay

  2. Department of Anatomy, University of Hong Kong, 5 Sassoon Road, Hong Kong

    F. H. Güldner

  3. Abteilung für Anatomie, Universität Göttingen, Kreuzbergring 36, D-3400, Göttingen, Germany

    J. R. Wolff

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  1. F. Gallyas
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  2. F. H. Güldner
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  3. G. Zoltay
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  4. J. R. Wolff
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Gallyas, F., Güldner, F.H., Zoltay, G. et al. Golgi-like demonstration of “dark” neurons with an argyrophil III method for experimental neuropathology. Acta Neuropathol 79, 620–628 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00294239

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00294239

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