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Mucopolysaccharide histochemistry of rat tooth germs

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Zeitschrift für Zellforschung und mikroskopische Anatomie Abt. Histochemie Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

The histochemical distribution and localization of acid mucopolysaccharides and glycoproteins have been studied in rat tooth germs and lower joints. After fixation, sections were stained with PAS, alcian blue-PAS, colloidal iron, colloidal iron-PAS, colloidal iron-Feulgen, azure A and safranin O. Prior to staining, sections were incubated in hyaluronidase, pepsin and papain. A 2 hour incubation in pepsin greatly enhanced AB or CI basophilia in the stellate reticulum and the enamel-dentinal junction. These findings demonstrated that some acidic radicals of the polysaccharides are partially blocked by basic proteins. Hyaluronidase did not completely destroy the alcian blue or colloidal iron positive material whereas azure A metachromasia was completely removed. These results indicated that AB and/or CI stained substrates different from those revealed by azure A.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Alabama Medical Center, Birmingham, Alabama

    Giuliano Quintarelli & Marie C. Dellovo

  2. University of Reme Medical School, Viale Regina Elena, 287-A, Rome, Italy

    Giuliano Quintarelli

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  1. Giuliano Quintarelli
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  2. Marie C. Dellovo
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With 10 Figures in colour

This work was supported by Grant No. D-1325 of the National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland.

On leave of absence at the University of Rome Medical School, Viale Regina Elena 287-A, Rome, Italy.

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Quintarelli, G., Dellovo, M.C. Mucopolysaccharide histochemistry of rat tooth germs. Histochemie 3, 195–207 (1963). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00736437

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