EFFECT OF NITRIC ACID AND CHELATION DEMINERALIZATION ON VARIOUS STAINS OF HISTOCHEMICAL NATURE

¹ Division of Dental Histology, University of Illinois College of Dentistry, Chicago, Ill.

Comparisons were made of the effect of fixation (frozen and dried and formalin), the effect of demineralizing treatment (ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid and nitric acid) and the effect of embedding (paraffin and celloidin) on rat cerebellum stained with hematoxylin and eosin, Feulgen, Schiff, thionin, and azure "B."

The staining reaction was similar in both methods of fixation. The staining intensity was greater with Feulgen Schiff, thionin, and azure "B" in formalin fixation and there was more definite detail of cellular morphology with formalin fixation.

Specimens treated with EDTA gave characteristic staining reactions to hematoxylin and eosin, Feulgen Schiff, thionin, and azure "B," although the staining was less intense with thionin and azure "B" than in the untreated material.

Sections stained with hematoxylin and cosin, following treatment with nitric acid, showed an over-all eosinophilia, and those stained with Feulgen Schiff, thionin, and azure "B" were colorless.

Both paraffin and celloidin gave comparable results when the elevated material was stained with hematoxylin and eosin, but paraffin was more satisfactory than celloidin when material which had been treated with EDTA was stained with Feulgen Schiff, thionin, and azure "B."