Fluorescent hydrazides for the high-performance liquid chromatographic determination of biological carbonyls

Methods for the determination of carbonyl compounds of biological origin by high-performance liquid chromatography were improved by the use of new fluorescent derivatizing agents. Eight fluorescent hydrazides were either synthesized or obtained commercially and compared to dansyl hydrazine (1-dimethylaminonaphthalene-5-sulfonylohydrazide). Four of the compounds yielded carbonyl hydrazones with a higher relative fluorescence quantum yield than dansyl hydrazine in acetonitrile:water mixtures. Darpsyl hydrazide [(3-phenylpyrazoline-1-yl)-4-phenylsulfonylohydrazide] and apmayl hydrazide [N-(2-aminophenyl-6-methylbenzthiazole)-acetylohydrazide] both yielded an increase of greater than 20-fold in sensitivity over dansyl hydrazine in determinations of abscisic acid and jasmonic acid from plant tissues. Different hydrazides and derivatizing conditions were found to be optimum for the determination of different carbonyl compounds. Also, a simple method for precolumn purification of the hydrazones of acidic carbonyls was developed to remove contaminants arising during derivatization and from the tissue source.     

金胺O荧光染色在石蜡组织切片麻风病诊断中的应用

目的为了验证金胺O荧光染色法应用于石蜡组织切片麻风杆菌检测的可行性。方法用金胺O荧光法对6例确诊为麻风病的病理组织切片进行染色,并与抗酸染色结果进行对比。结果荧光染色法6例结果均为阳性,在暗背景下麻风杆菌显示明亮淡绿色荧光;在菌量较少荧光染色片中寻找单根麻风杆菌,较抗酸染色片更为容易。结论金胺O荧光染色法可用于石蜡组织切片麻风病的诊断,麻风杆菌单根散在时比抗酸染色法有一定优势。     

Pararosaniline or acriflavine-Schiff staining of epoxy embedded tissue after periodic acid oxidation in ethanol: a method suitable for morphometric and fluorometric analysis of glycogen

A method for preparing tissue sections for automatic image analysis of glycogen is described. Large semithin sections of epoxy embedded tissue fixed in glutaraldehyde-osmium were stained with Schiff reagent and acriflavine (fluorescent staining) after resin removal and periodic acid oxidation in ethanol. We found it essential to avoid tissue rehydration before final staining. The Schiff stain permits an assessment of the cellular volume of glycogen, and the acriflavine allows a fluorometric evaluation of glycogen density.     

甘蓝型油菜油体数量及面积之和与含油量的相关性

利用荧光染料尼罗红染色和激光扫描共聚焦显微观察技术,建立了油菜油体观察或生物体内中性脂类物质定性鉴定的研究体系。对高油品种宁油14号、宁油18号、ZH-088和低油品种ZL-366、NjY008、Westar共6个甘蓝型油菜品种子叶贮藏细胞内的油体进行了观察。研究发现：油菜种子成熟过程中,油体从着色不明显的小颗粒,逐渐发育形成着色清晰的球状大油体。种子成熟干燥后,油体间很少发生聚合。在成熟干燥的种子中,油体集中分布于子叶贮藏细胞中央,呈椭圆形或不规则形状,较少为圆形。通过研究种子内油体与含油量的关系,发现高油品种组与低油品种组之间在单个子叶贮藏细胞内油体数量和截面积之和存在明显差异,而在高油品种组内或低油品种组内的差异不明显。结果显示,油菜种子细胞中油体的数量和总面积与含油量之间存在正相关,可作为高油分材料的选择依据。     

Demonstration of lipofuscin and Nissl bodies in crystal violet stained sections using a fluorescence technique or pyronin Y stain

This paper presents two simple, reliable methods for identification of lipofuscin and Nissl bodies in the same section. One method shows that lipofuscin stained with crystal violet retains its ability to fluoresce and can be observed under the fluorescence microscope after the stain has faded. Fading is accompanied by a gradual increase in the intensity of the fluorescence and is complete in about 5 min. Exciting illumination from this part of the spectrum also substantially fades staining of other autofluorescing tissue elements, such as lipids. Nonfluorescing structures, such as Nissl bodies, remain stained. By changing from transillumination with tungsten light to epifluorescent illumination and vice versa, both types of structures--Nissl bodies and lipofuscin--can be identified in the same section. The second technique uses pyronin Y for staining Nissl bodies in preparations previously stained with crystal violet. Nissl bodies are stained pink but lipofuscin remains violet. Lipofuscin in these sections also remains autofluorescent after the crystal violet stain has faded under violet or near-UV light.     

Pararosaniline Or Acriflavine-Schiff Staining of Epoxy Embedded Tissue After Periodic Acid Oxidation in Ethanol: A Method Suitable for Morphometric and Fluorometric Analysis of Glycogen

A method for preparing tissue sections for automatic image analysis of glyco-gen is described. Large semithin seaions of epoxy embedded tissue fixed in glutaraldehyde osmium were stained with Schiff reagent and acriflavine (fluorescent staining) after resin removal and periodic acid oxidation in ethanol. We found it essential to avoid tissue rehydra-tion before final staining. The Schiff stain permits an assessment of the cellular volume of glycogen, and the acriflavine allows a fluorometric evaluation of glycogen density.     

Demonstration of Lipofuscin and Nissl Bodies in Crystal Violet Stained Sections Using a Fluorescence Technique or Pyronin Y Stain

This paper presents two simple, reliable methods for identification of lipofuscin and Nissl bodies in the same section. One method shows that lipofuscin stained with crystal violet retains its ability to fluoresce and can be observed under the fluorescence microscope after the stain has faded. Fading is accompanied by a gradual increase in the intensity of the fluorescence and is complete in about 5 min. Exciting illumination from this part of the spectrum also substantially fades staining of other autofluorescing tissue elements, such as lipids. Nonfluorescing structures, such as Nissl bodies, remain stained. By changing from transillumination with tungsten light to epifluorescent illumination and vice versa, both types of structures—Nissl bodies and lipofuscin—can be identified in the same section. The second technique uses pyronin Y for staining Nissl bodies in preparations previously stained with crystal violet. Nissl bodies are stained pink but lipofuscin remains violet. Lipofuscin in these sections also remains autofluorescent after the crystal violet stain has faded under violet or near-UV light.     

Identity of Holmes Positive Bodies with Electron Microscopically Demonstrable Nucleolus-Like Bodies in Neuronal Cytoplasm

By light microscopic observation of mouse brain stained by Holmes' silver method deeply stained cytoplasmic inclusion bodies were seen in almost all nerve cells of the locus coeruleus. Electron microscopy of tissue samples from floating Vibratome sections stained by Holmes' silver method demonstrated that the nucleolus-like bodies in the cytoplasm were densely impregnated with gold particles. Hence, it was confirmed that the cytoplasmic inclusion bodies of paraffin sections stained by Holmes' method are identical to the so-called nucleolus-like bodies seen in electron microscopic studies.     

Fluroescent characteristics of drumsticks, drumstick-like projections, and other nuclear bodies in human blood cells.

The fluorescent properties of drumsticks, drumstick-like appendages, and other nuclear bodies in the polymorphonuclear leukocytes from six human males and females were studied with the aid of the quinacrine-mustard staining technique. Both brightly and weakly fluorescent drumsticks (in females) and drumstick-like bodies (in males) were observed, and they were readily differentiated on the basis of size, shape and, usually, fluorescent intensity. An analysis of the correlation between the extent of nuclear lobulation of the polymorphs and the corresponding fluorescent patterns of the adjoining drumsticks and drumstick-like bodies indicated that a possible change in the state and/or condensation of chromatin in these nuclear bodies might occur with increasing age of the polymorphs. Although the brightly fluorescent regions of the nuclei usually corresponded to the areas darkly stained with Giemsa, much finer patterns of differential staining of drumsticks and other nuclear bodies were obtained only by the fluorescent method.     

Immunofluorescent labelling of K-papovavirus antigens in glycol methacrylate embedded material: a method for studying infected cell populations by fluorescence microscopy and histological staining of adjacent sections

Trypsin and protease V (pronase) were studied for their ability to enhance immunofluorescent labelling of papovavirus antigens in glycol methacrylate embedded sections of organs infected with murine K-papovavirus. Treatment of Bouin's fixed sections with 0.4% trypsin for 30 minutes resulted in specific immunofluorescent staining equal to that seen in frozen sections and produced little if any loss of histological detail. Treatment with protease V resulted in less brilliant fluorescence and less satisfactory tissue preservation. Studies were then conducted to determine the fluorescence and less satisfactory tissue preservation. Studies were then conducted to determine the fixative which would produce brightest specific fluorescent antibody staining of papovavirus-infected cells while providing clearest definition of intranuclear inclusions and best morphological detail in histologically stained adjacent sections. Brightest immunofluorescence staining was accomplished on material fixed in 96% ethanol/1% glacial acetic acid or Bouin's solution. These fixatives also gave clear definition of intranuclear inclusions with histological stains and provided excellent morphological detail. Phosphate buffered paraformaldehyde/picric acid and 3.7% formalin gave less satisfactory fluorescence and obscured intranuclear inclusions in histological preparations. Sections fixed in 4% paraformaldehyde, 4% paraformaldehyde/1% glutaraldehyde, and 0.5 M p-toluenesulfonic acid were negative for specific fluorescence. Glycol methacrylate, used with proper fixation and trypsin pretreatment of sections, provides a useful embedding medium for immunofluorescent identification of virus-infected cells, and the 1.0-2.0 micron sections routinely obtainable with GMA permit study of individual infected cells by fluorescent antibody and histological staining of adjacent sections.     

A bright field/fluorescent stain for aluminum: its specificity,validation, and staining characteristics

A sensitive bright field/fluorescent histochemical staining method has been developed that reveals endogenous aluminum in subcellular structures. The method, achievable within 30 min, is based on phloxine B and phosphotungstic acid, with ethanol differentiation. Hematoxylin is used for nuclear and fast green FCF for cytoplasmic counterstaining. To test the method's specificity, we incubated living neuroblastoma cells overnight in culture media containing aluminum, calcium, iron, copper or zinc, or no added metal ions. After fixing the cells and applying the staining method, only cultures exposed to aluminum stained magenta. Applying the method to paraffin embedded tissue sections pretreated with one of two chelating agents that remove aluminum demonstrated less magenta staining in the chelated sections than in adjacent unchelated sections. Immersing sections overnight in solutions containing exogenous aluminum had no observable effect on staining for endogenous aluminum; therefore, it is unlikely that any exogenous aluminum present in histological reagents would alter the method's staining results.     

A bright field/fluorescent stain for aluminum: its specificity, validation, and staining characteristics

A sensitive bright field/fluorescent histochemical staining method has been developed that reveals endogenous aluminum in subcellular structures. The method, achievable within 30 min, is based on phloxine B and phosphotungstic acid, with ethanol differentiation. Hematoxylin is used for nuclear and fast green FCF for cytoplasmic counterstaining. To test the method's specificity, we incubated living neuroblastoma cells overnight in culture media containing aluminum, calcium, iron, copper or zinc, or no added metal ions. After fixing the cells and applying the staining method, only cultures exposed to aluminum stained magenta. Applying the method to paraffin embedded tissue sections pretreated with one of two chelating agents that remove aluminum demonstrated less magenta staining in the chelated sections than in adjacent unchelated sections. Immersing sections overnight in solutions containing exogenous aluminum had no observable effect on staining for endogenous aluminum; therefore, it is unlikely that any exogenous aluminum present in histological reagents would alter the method's staining results.     

Lectin histochemistry of glycolipid storage diseases on frozen and paraffin-embedded tissue sections

Lectin histochemical studies were performed on frozen and paraffin-embedded brain tissue sections from six cases of galactosylceramide lipidosis (i.e., globoid cell leukodystrophy, or Krabbe's disease) in Twitcher mice and one case of canine infantile GM1-gangliosidosis. The globoid cells in Krabbe's disease stained with Ricinus communis agglutinin-I (RCA-I), peanut agglutinin (PNA), and Bandeirea simplicifolia agglutinin-I (BS-I) in frozen sections. However, paraffin sections and frozen sections pretreated with chloroform-methanol or xylene, from the same animals, stained with Concanavlia ensiformis agglutinin (ConA), wheat germ agglutinin (WGA), and succinylated-WGA (S-WGA), in addition to staining with RCA-I, PNA, and BS-I. The affected neurons of canine infantile GM1-gangliosidosis stained only with RCA-I in frozen sections. In paraffin sections, however, these cells were negative with RCA-I but positive with BS-I, ConA, Dolichos biflorus agglutinin (DBA), soybean agglutinin (SBA) and Ulex europaeus agglutinin (UEA-I) in paraffin sections. These results indicate that in paraffin processing of glycolipid storage disease tissue, some lectin receptors are lost and others are unmasked. The retained receptors can be stained with specific lectins and could serve as markers to characterize and differentiate among the various glycolipid storage diseases.     

A bright field/fluorescent stain for aluminum: its specificity, validation, and staining characteristics.

A sensitive bright field/fluorescent histochemical staining method has been developed that reveals endogenous aluminum in subcellular structures. The method, achievable within 30 min, is based on phloxine B and phosphotungstic acid, with ethanol differentiation. Hematoxylin is used for nuclear and fast green FCF for cytoplasmic counterstaining. To test the method's specificity, we incubated living neuroblastoma cells overnight in culture media containing aluminum, calcium, iron, copper or zinc, or no added metal ions. After fixing the cells and applying the staining method, only cultures exposed to aluminum stained magenta. Applying the method to paraffin embedded tissue sections pretreated with one of two chelating agents that remove aluminum demonstrated less magenta staining in the chelated sections than in adjacent unchelated sections. Immersing sections overnight in solutions containing exogenous aluminum had no observable effect on staining for endogenous aluminum; therefore, it is unlikely that any exogenous aluminum present in histological reagents would alter the method's staining results.     

Imaging of cell surface antigens on tumor lymph-node sections using fluorescence quantum dots

In this work we explored the potential of quantum dots for fluorescent detection of lymphoid surface antigens. To optimize detection with quantum dots, we upgraded a fluorescent microscope that allowed us obtaining multiple images from different quantum dots on a single section. Specimens stained with quantum dots remained stable over two weeks and practically did not bleach under the mercury lamp during scores of minutes. Double staining of frozen sections with direct conjugates of quantum dots with primary mouse monoclonal antibodies demonstrated direct conjugate high specificity and sensitivity. High stability of quantum dots’ fluorescence allows their use in diagnostics to analyze antigen coexpression on lymphoid tissue sections. “Spillover” of fluorescent signals from quantum dots into adjacent fluorescent channels maximally separated by 40 nm did not exceed 8%, which renders spectral compensation unnecessary.     

Pyronin Y as a fluorescent stain for paraffin sections

Pyronin Y has long been used, in combination with other dyes such as Methyl Green, as a differential stain for nucleic acids in paraffin tissue sections. It also forms fluorescent complexes with double-stranded nucleic acids, especially RNA, enabling semi-quantitative analysis of cellular RNA in flow cytometry. However, the possibility of using pyronin Y as a fluorescent stain for paraffin tissue sections has rarely been investigated. We herein report that in sections stained with Methyl Green–pyronin Y, red blood cells, elastic fibre of blood vessels, zymogen granules of pancreatic acinar cells, surface membrane of heptocytes and kidney tubular cells showed strikingly strong green and/or red fluorescence, while the nuclei of cells appeared non-fluorescent. The use of confocal laser-scanning microscope greatly improved the resolution and selectivity of the fluorescent images. Staining with pyronin Y alone gave similar results in terms of fluorescence properties of the specimens. Pretreatment of paraffin sections with RNase significantly reduced cytoplasmic pyronin Y staining as judged by transmission light microscopy, but it had little effect on the fluorescence intensity of red blood cells, elastic fibres and zymogenbreak granules.     

Immunofluorescent Labelling of K-Papovavirus Antigens in Glycol Methacrylate Embedded Material: A Method for Studying Infected Cell Populations by Fluorescence Microscopy and Histological Staining of Adjacent Sections

Trypsin and protease V (pronase) were studied for their ability to enhance immuno-fluorescent labelling of papovavirus antigens in glycol methacrylate embedded sections of organs infected with murine K-papovavirus. Treatment of Bouin's fixed sections with 0.4% trypsin for 30 minutes resulted in specific immunofluorescent staining equal to that seen in frozen sections and produced little if any loss of histological detail. Treatment with protease V resulted in less brilliant fluorescence and less satisfactory tissue preservation. Studies were then conducted to determine the fixative which would produce brightest specific fluorescent antibody staining of papovavirus-infected cells while providing clearest definition of intranuclear inclusions and best morphological detail in histologically stained adjacent sections. Brightest immunofluorescence staining was accomplished on material fixed in 96% ethanol/1% glacial acetic acid or Bouin's solution. These fixatives also gave clear definition of intranuclear inclusions with histological stains and provided excellent morphological detail. Phosphate buffered paraformaldehyde/picric acid and 3.7% formalin gave less satisfactory fluorescence and obscured intranuclear inclusions in histological preparations. Sections fixed in 4% paraformaldehyde, 4% paraformaldehyde/1% glutaraldehyde, and 0.5 M p-toluenesulfonic acid were negative for specific fluorescence. Glycol methacrylate, used with proper fixation and trypsin pretreatment of sections, provides a useful embedding medium for immunofluorescent identification of virus-infected cells, and the 1.0-2.0 μm sections routinely obtainable with GMA permit study of individual infected cells by fluorescent antibody and histological staining of adjacent sections.     

The design of fluorescent probes which bind to the active centre of guanidinobenzoatase. Application to the location of cells possessing this enzyme

Cells possessing a known enzymic activity may be located by fluorescent probes designed to act as competitive inhibitors of this enzyme. We have prepared a series of dansyl N-substituted guanidino derivatives which bind to the active centre of guanidinobenzoatase. 9-Aminoacridine also acts as a competitive inhibitor and behaves similarly to these guanidino derivatives. These fluorescent probes have been used to locate tumour cells possessing this enzyme in thin sections of fixed tissue by employing fluorescent microscopy.     

Zinc-Specific N-(6-Methoxy-8-Quinolyl)-Para-Toluenesulfonamide as a Selective Nontoxic Fluorescence Stain for Pancreatic Islets

Separation of the endocrine from the exocrine pancreatic tissue by fluorescence activated sorting has been limited by the lack of an ideal fluorescent label for islet tissue. Our studies indicates the zinc-specific stain N-(6-methoxy-8-quinolyl)-para-toluenesulfonamide (TSQ), has characteristics ideal for use as a fluorescent label for islet tissue. Dispersed rat pancreas cells stained with TSQ produced bright blue fluorescence when excited by UV light [peak emission wavelength at 480 nm. maximal excitation at 365 nm). The fluorescence was specific for islet tissue as confirmed by counterstaining with the islet-specific stain dithizone and there was minimal background staining of exocrine tissue. Stained tissue remained brightly fluorescent for 2 hr. with some fading by 4 hr. Injection of TSQ into rats at a concentration sufficient to produce staining of islets produced no toxicity discernible at 4 months. The viability of isolated rat islets stained with TSQ was maintained as shown by supravital staining, in vitro secretion of insulin, and reversal of diabetes after transplantation of stained islets into diabetic syngeneic recipients.     

Confocal laser microscopy of dystrophin localization in guinea pig skeletal muscle fibers

A confocal laser microscope was used to analyze the localization pattern of dystrophin along the sarcolemma in guinea pig skeletal muscle fibers. Hind leg muscles of the normal animals were freshly dissected and frozen for cryostat sections, which were then stained with a monoclonal antidystrophin antibody. In confocal laser microscopy, immunofluorescence staining in relatively thick sections could be sharply imaged in thin optical sections. When longitudinal and transverse sections of muscle fibers were examined, the immunostaining of dystrophin was seen as linearly aligned fluorescent dots or intermittent lines along the sarcolemma. In longitudinally cut muscle fibers, many fluorescent dots, but not all, corresponded to the sarcomere pattern, especially the I band. Sections cut tangential to the sarcolemma also showed a lattice-like pattern of longitudinal and transverse striations of fluorescent dots. Double staining for dystrophin and vinculin showed that the two proteins were not exactly colocalized. The end portions of muscle fibers were much more intensely stained with antidystrophin antibody than the central portions, following the contour of elaborate surface specializations at the myo-tendon junction. The staining pattern at the myo-tendon junction was also discontinuous. These confocal microscopic observations suggest that dystrophin may be localized in a nonuniform, discontinuous pattern along the sarcolemma and in some relationship with the underlying myofibrils.