Vital Staining in Cellular Analysis

Vital Staining

• Provides additional information besides staining cellular components, such as:
  • Indicating regions of specific biochemical processes or chemical reactions
  • Highlighting metabolic hotspots
  • Assessing overall viability of the organism, including immune response and susceptibility to infections and diseases

Aluminum Salts in Alum Hematoxylin Solutions

• Effect of aluminum salts:
  • Achieve blue staining of nuclei with acid addition and differentiation from unstained background

Stain for Central Nervous System Samples

• Sudan III is the stain used for samples involving the central nervous system

Vital Staining of Nucleus

• Nucleus of a living cell is not demonstrated with vital staining because:
  • Vital stains are not permitted to pass through the nuclear membrane

Carbohydrate Staining

• Positive staining reaction typically indicates:
  • Presence of glycogen or amyloid

Staining Techniques

• Differential staining technique is based on the principle of:
  • Differential affinities of cells or tissues for various dyes

Mucopolysaccharide Staining

• Acid (Simple, Non-Sulfated) mucopolysaccharide is found in:
  • Stroma, cartilage, and bone, and stains selectively with Alcian blue at pH 0.5

Periodic Acid-Schiff (PAS) Reaction

• Biochemical mechanism underlying visualization of carbohydrates in tissue sections:
  • Oxidation of carbohydrates to form aldehydes, which then react with Schiff reagent to form a magenta color
• Role of sulfur dioxide in preparation of Schiff reagent:
  • Converts basic fuchsin to colorless leukofuchsin

Oxidizing Agents

• Preferred oxidizing agent for staining fungi:
  • Periodic acid, which enhances contrast between background and fungal cell wall

This quiz explores the additional information that vital staining can provide in cellular analysis, beyond staining cellular components. It delves into the capabilities of vital staining in revealing cellular processes and structures.