The Toluidine Blue-Membrane Filter Method: Absorption Spectra of Toluidine Blue Stained Bacterial Cells and the Relationship Between Absorbance and Dry Mass of Bacteria

Propan-2-ol did not leach dye from toluidine blue stained bacteria on membrane filters but ethanol did. The absorption spectra of toluidine blue stained cells of two Gram-positive and two Gram-negative organisms differed with the latter organisms exhibiting metachromasia. The results suggest that toluidine blue stains the cell envelope. Linear regression equations were derived for each of four organisms, Streptococcus cremoris, Lactobacillus bulgaricus, Pseudomonas fluorescens and Escherichia coli, relating absorbance at the peak of the absorption spectra and the mass of cells on the filters. With these equations it should be possible to determine mass of cells with an error between 3% and 7.5% depending on the organism. Since the regression equations are similar, the amount of toluidine blue retained per milligram of cells may be constant under standard conditions, irrespective of species.     

A Method for Staining Certain Bacteria and Antherozoids

A modification of Loeffler's method for staining the flagella of bacteria was employed in staining large forms of bacteria and antherozoids. The bacteria or the antherozoids are killed and fixed in a drop of water on a slide and set aside to dry, before the next step is undertaken. The slide is treated for a period of time, varying from about ten minutes to several hours, in a practically saturated solution of tannic acid. After the slide is thoroly rinsed in water, it is stained with either a single stain or a combination of stains. The slide is then dehydrated with absolute alcohol, cleared, with clove oil, and completed in the usual manner.

The body of the bacterium and that of the antherozoid are well differentiated and the cilia are distinctly brought out by means of the method herein described.

The technic is of especial value in staining the antherozoids of mosses, liverworts, and ferns.     

改良的肥大细胞甲苯胺蓝染色法

目的:本研究旨在运用一种改良的甲苯胺蓝染色方法鉴定体外分离培养的肥大细胞形态,为肥大细胞研究提供简便的检测方法。方法:体外诱导分化培养小鼠骨髓来源的肥大细胞,4周后收集细胞、固定、染色。比较不同固定温度及时间对甲苯胺蓝染色效果的影响,确定最佳条件。结果:SCF和IL-3体外培养诱导出小鼠骨髓来源肥大细胞。肥大细胞用改良的甲苯胺蓝染色后细胞着色效果较好,细胞多呈圆形或椭圆形且胞膜较完整,胞浆中充满大量的紫红色颗粒。结论:本研究成功运用一种适用于体外培养小鼠骨髓源肥大细胞的甲苯胺蓝染色法,并发现肥大细胞在37℃充分固定后进行染色,可以降低肥大细胞发生脱颗粒。此操作方法稳定性好、简便,适用于体外培养的肥大细胞形态学观察。     

A Flagella Staining Technic for Soil Bacteria

In an attempt to stain the flagella of soil bacteria, many of which have flagella so fine that they are hard to stain by most methods, a technic was developed which combines the best points of Hofer and Wilson's method with that of Bailey as developed by O'Toole. Satisfactory preparations have been obtained for organisms of the genera Pseudomonas, Phytomonas, Alcaligenes, Escherichia, Azotobacter, and Bacillus. This technic, therefore, is recommended as a rapid and constant method for routine flagella staining of all motile aerobic organisms; it combines Hofer and Wilson's method of cleaning the slides with O'Toole's technic of spreading the smears and with a modification of Bailey's mordant.     

Dissimilar Staining Properties of Purified and Certified Toluidine Blue

Certified toluidine blue (National Aniline Co.). applied to sections of frog blastulae, stained the nuclei light blue and left the yolk platelets either unstained or light blue. Purified toluidine blue (also National Aniline Co.) stained the nuclei a deep blue and the yolk platelets a brilliant pink with deep blue borders. Some of the observations suggest that this difference in staining behavior is due to the presence of an inhibitor in the certified dye, which suppresses the metachromatic staining of the platelets and reduces the intensity of the nuclear staining. Unsuccessful attempts were made to remove the inhibitor by salting out the certified dye and washing it with alcohol or by extracting it with chloroform. Details of these attempts, and of other experiments designed to identify the stainable substrates in the yolk platelets are given in the text.     

Toluidine Blue Staining of Coccidia in Cultured Animal Cells

Cultured animal cells infected with various species of Eimeria (coccidia) from chickens are washed in Hanks balanced salt solution (HBSS) and fixed in 5% formalin in HBSS. The fixed cultures are washed briefly in distilled water to remove HBSS salts and then dehydrated in a series of mixtures of 40 to 50% ethanol with increasing concentrations of tertiary butanol (TB) and decreasing concentrations of distilled water. Cultures are placed for 1 min in a mixture of 2 parts ethanol :TB (25:75) and 1 part 0.05% toluidine blue O in McIlvaine buffer (pH 6.0), followed by 1 min in 0.05% toluidine blue O in McIlvaine buffer (pH 6.0). The stained cultures are dipped for 1-2 sec in TB, allowed to dry and mounted permanently on slides. Cover-slip cultures fixed and stained by this procedure 8 years ago have not faded or discolored. The alcohol mixtures, formalin in HBSS, stain and buffer can be prepared in large volumes and stored indefinitely. The staining procedure has proven to be rapid and dependable with a variety of cell types in monolayer cultures in research and teaching applications.     

A Method for the Staining of Bacterial Flagella

A modification of the Loeffler method of staining bacterial flagella is proposed. The chief points of the modification are: The cultures are inoculated into distilled water after two successive daily transfers on agar slants, and the distilled water cultures are incubated at optimum temperature for from 48 to 72 hours. The mordant (tannic acid, ferrous sulphate, basic fuchsin) is allowed to stand 18 to 24 hours before use, and then cleared by centrifuging or filtering. An anilin water fuchsin is used as a stain. No heat is used for either mordanting or staining; but both mordant and stain are allowed to act on the preparation for 15 minutes. The writer finds the method admirably adapted for use in class work, where nearly 100 per cent success has been obtained except in the case of some three or four species of bacteria that are especially difficult to stain.     

A Method for the Staining of Bacterial Flagella

A modification of the Loeffler method of staining bacterial flagella is proposed. The chief points of the modification are: The cultures are inoculated into distilled water after two successive daily transfers on agar slants, and the distilled water cultures are incubated at optimum temperature for from 48 to 72 hours. The mordant (tannic acid, ferrous sulphate, basic fuchsin) is allowed to stand 18 to 24 hours before use, and then cleared by centrifuging or filtering. An anilin water fuchsin is used as a stain. No heat is used for either mordanting or staining; but both mordant and stain are allowed to act on the preparation for 15 minutes. The writer finds the method admirably adapted for use in class work, where nearly 100 per cent success has been obtained except in the case of some three or four species of bacteria that are especially difficult to stain.     

PAP染色法在微生态学中应用的研究——Ⅰ.细菌染色方法的建立

在微生态学中应用过氧化物酶—抗过氧化物酶(PAP)染色法鉴定细菌的研究还未见报道。本文报告了用埃希氏大肠杆菌(O_(111)B_4)腹腔感染小鼠,取其多种脏器制石蜡切片,建立PAP染色程序。确定了第一抗体(兔抗埃希氏大肠杆菌O_(111)B_4型血清)最佳染色滴度为1:800～3200。观察到埃希氏大肠杆菌(O_(111)B_4)定位于组织器官上的状态。在细菌鉴定上PAP染色法较其它方法更具有优点。     

Some Staining Methods for Bacteria and Yeasts

For staining flagella of bacteria use actively motile organisms 20 to 24 hours old, allow to diffuse in sterile water 20 to 30 minutes, transfer droplets of the suspension to clean slides and let evaporate without spreading. Then treat 2 to 4 minutes with the following mordant: tannic acid 10 or 20%, 50 cc.; ferric chloride 5%, 10 to 15 cc.; carbol fuchsin (Ziehl-Nielson), 5 cc.; hydrogen peroxide 3%, 6 to 8 cc. Wash and stain 2 to 3 minutes with a mixture of basic fuchsin, saturated alcoholic, 10 cc.; anilin oil (1 part) and 95% alcohol (3 parts) mixed, 5 cc.; distilled water, 30 cc.; acetic acid, 4%, 1 cc. Wash thoroly with water.     

The Negative Staining of Bacteria

The author does not propose new methods but calls attention to the value of Burri's India ink technic and Fischer's use of nigrosin for the negative staining of bacteria. The latter is particularly useful. The technic is as follows: Boil 10 g. nigrosin in 100 cc. water about 30 minutes. Filter several times thru the same filter paper, adding 10 drops of formalin before the last filtration as a preservative. Place a small loopful of this solution on a clean slide and add the bacteria with a needle or loop. After mixing spread the mixture a little irregularly on the slide and dry either at room temperature or slowly over a low flame. The preparation may be examined in oil immersion without the use of a cover slip.