Histological and Histochemical Uses of Periodic Acid

Periodic acid acts upon the 1,2 glycol linkage (-CHOH -CHOH-) of carbohydrates in tissue sections to produce aldehyde (RCHO+RCHO) which can be colored with Schiff s reagent. The method can be used on frozen or paraffin sections and is useful as a reaction for carbohydrates of tissues: glycogen (in paraffin section only), mucin, basement membrane, reticulin, the colloid of the pituitary stalk and thyroid, some of the acidophile cells of the human anterior hypophysis, the granular cells of the renal arteriole, etc.

In abnormal tissues, it colors many of the “hyaline” materials— amyloid infiltrations, arteriolosclerotic hyaline, colloid droplets, mitotic figures, etc.

The histochemical uses of the periodic-acid-Schiff's reagent (PAS) need careful control because of the possibility of attachment of iodate or periodate to tissue constitutents, producing a recoloration of the Schiff's reagent. Whenever possible the positive reacting material should be further identified by other methods since Lison showed other substances besides aldehydes can recolorize SchifFs reagent.