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“Thiocyanate gold”: small (2–3 nm) colloidal gold for affinity cytochemical labeling in electron microscopy

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Summary

Reduction of HAuCl4 by NaSCN or KSCN produces colloidal gold particles of 2.6 nm in diameter and homogeneous in size (coefficient of variation ∼15%). The AuSCN sol forms protein-gold complexes. The amount of protein required to form an AuSCN-protein complex is best determined in the electron microscope, where serial dilutions of protein with gold sol are inspected for the presence of aggregates.

By immuno-electron microscopy SCN-gold complexed to protein A is active and visible as is shown by revealing α-amylase in rat pancreatic acinar cells.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Microbiology, Biozentrum of the University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 70, CH-4056, Basel, Switzerland

    W. Baschong

  2. Interdepartmental Electron Microscopy, Biozentrum of the University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 70, CH-4056, Basel, Switzerland

    J. M. Lucocq & J. Roth

Authors
  1. W. Baschong
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  2. J. M. Lucocq
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  3. J. Roth
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Baschong, W., Lucocq, J.M. & Roth, J. “Thiocyanate gold”: small (2–3 nm) colloidal gold for affinity cytochemical labeling in electron microscopy. Histochemistry 83, 409–411 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00509201

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00509201

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