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Staining of Sulphated Polysaccharides by means of Alcian Blue

Abstract

SINCE its introduction into histochemistry by Steedman1, alcian blue has been recommended as a useful dye for the histochemical staining of acid mucopolysaccharides2,3. Although the selectivity of this copper phthalocyanin dye has been investigated in tissue acid mucopolysaccharides4,5, the basis for staining remains to be determined precisely, because of unknown chemical structure of the substances examined; therefore the purpose of the work recorded here was to investigate the alcian blue stainability of sulphated polysaccharides of either proposed or known chemical structure in an attempt to discover what part of the structure is responsible for the staining.

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References

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YAMADA, K. Staining of Sulphated Polysaccharides by means of Alcian Blue. Nature 198, 799–800 (1963). https://doi.org/10.1038/198799a0

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