Well, I stand corrected!  Never let it be said that I
don't admit when I am wrong.  This was what was stated
to me.  I always say, The mind is like a parachute,
keep it open!

By the way, the Alcian Blue pH 2.5/PAS from Biocare's
website still has the hematoxylin showing nicely. 
That image was taken prior to incorporating any
stabalizers in the stains. I'm not sure if it is still
on the website.  I know that several stain kits have
been eliminated, since I left.  No $$ in it compared
to IHC.  They no longer have ART Names for the kit's,
just the generic name.    

Also, FYI--I don't get any residuals from Biocare.

Akemi Allison-Tacha BS, HT (ASCP) HTL
President
Phoenix Lab Consulting & Staffing
Specializing in Histology, SS, IHC, & Microarray
Madison, WI
Tele: 		(925) 788-0900
E-Mail:	akemiat3377@yahoo.com


--- bhewlett@cogeco.ca wrote:

> > Akemi,
> 
> Alcian blue was NEVER available in any natural form.
> It is and always has been, a synthetic dye first
> produced by ICI in the early fifties. The process of
> production
> required some dangerous intermediates, that was why
> production ceased. Production now involves less
> dangerous
> intermediates and hence more expense(naturally).
> 
> Bryan
> 
> 
> > FYI to those of you who are not in the loop. 
> Alcian
> > Blue has not been procured in it's natural form
> for
> > several years.  There were too many fatalities
> during
> > it's procurement from South America.  This came to
> my
> > attention in the late 90's.
> >
> > Anatech started creating it, in a synthetic form
> some
> > years ago. It was my understanding and I could be
> > wrong, that for awhile, Anatech was the only
> company
> > who produced Alcian Blue to pass the Biological
> Stains
> > Commission evaluation process. It is my
> understanding,
> > there is only a 8GS being made now.  Again, I
> could be
> > wrong.
> >
> > In the past few years, Dudley Chemical, Aldrich,
> > Sigma, EM Science and some Chinese companies were
> able
> > to produce synthetic Alcian Blue, although the dye
> > content varies with each companies submission. You
> > should always get a seal from the Biological
> Stains
> > Commission on each bottle of Alcian Blue powder. 
> If
> > the label is not on it, it has not passed their
> > evaluation process. This only means that it met
> it's
> > minimum standard.  The Commision will not divulge
> > actual test results.
> >
> > When I started my R&D on Alcian Blue for Biocare,
> > Anatech had the highest dye content from the few
> > companies that sold it.  It is only my opinion,
> but
> > they still have the best on the market.
> >
> > Akemi Allison-Tacha BS, HT (ASCP) HTL
> > President
> > Phoenix Lab Consulting & Staffing
> > Specializing in Histology, SS, IHC, & Microarray
> > Madison, WI
> > Tele:     (925) 788-0900
> > E-Mail:    akemiat3377@yahoo.com
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > Histonet mailing list
> > Histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu
> >
>
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> 


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