The TP-levanol fast cyanine 5RN staining procedure for proteins of the myosin-fibrin group

Summary The tannic acid-phoshomolybdic acid-Levanol (Supranol) Fast Cyanine 5RN (TP-L) procedure for staining muscle cells and blood platelets was used because, with this method, proteins of the myosin-fibrin group should be selectively stained. However, in human blood and blood plasma clots and in vivo thrombi, fibrin was not stained. Blood platelets probably due to their content of contractile proteins were very well stained. Apparent fibrin staining in human autopsy thrombi may be due to the staining of disintegrated platelets and the absorbance of fibrin by stained hemoglobin. Problems encountered using Nuclear Fast Red as the nuclear stain were solved by changing the dye concentration or by using a differentiating agent. Myosin staining by the TP-L method depended on the pH of the tannic-acid solution used. Raising the pH to 7.4–8.0 changed the staining result, and collagen fibers were then stained.