Sandi,

I have a very old (ancient) procedure that comes from  the University of
Bern Institute of Systematic Anatomy (I think I'm translating it
correctly).  The title of this is "A Modification of Movat's Pentachrome
Stain."  It seems to me that when I was trained by the Swiss years ago,
they mentioned this was Musto's modification, but I didn't write it down
and all I have is a rapidly degenerating memory!  *G*  Anyways, I'll post
it and see if this is what you want. 


SOLUTIONS

1)  1% Alcian Blue 8GX (ci  74240)
Dissolve 1 g Alcian Blue 8GX in 100 mL DI water.  Add 1 mL of glacial
acetic acid and mix well. 
(NOTE:  no pH was given in this procedure. It also says the dye should be
Alcian Blue 8 GS, but I think it's a typo)

2)ALKALINE ETHANOL
In 300 mL of 95% Ethanol add 1 mL of strong ammonia (ammonium hydroxide).

3)BRILLIANT CROCEIN - ACID FUCHSIN
	Solution A:
Dissolve 1 g of brilliant crocein (aka scarlet MOO... ci 27290) in 99.5 mL
DI water.  Add 0.5 mL glacial acetic acid and mix well.
	Solution B:
Disslove 0.1 g of acid fuchsin (ci 42685) in 99.5 mL DI water and add 0.5
mL glacial acetic acid.  Mix well
	Working Solution: 
Mix 8 parts of Solution A with 2 parts of Solution B just before use.
Discard after using.

4)SAFFRON du GATINAIS (SAFFRON)
Dissolve 6 g saffron du gatinais  (aka, saffron or natural yellow 6... ci
75100) in 100 mL absolute ethanol.  Incubate at 58 C for 48 hours.  Store
at room temperature in a tightly corked amber bottle. NOTE:  If this
solution is kept absolutely pure, it will keep for up to 3 years.

5) WEIGERT'S IRON HEMATOXYLIN

6)0.5% GLACIAL ACETIC ACID

7) 5% PHOSPHOTUNGSTIC ACID


PROCEDURE

1) Deparaffinize or deplasticize and hydrate to DI water
2) 1% Alcian Blue solution, 10 min.
3) Running tap water, 5 min.
4) Alkaline ethanol, 1 hour
5) Running tap water, 10 min.
6) Rinse in 3 changes of DI water
7) Weigert's Iron Hematoxylin, 10 min.
8) DI water rinse, 3-5 changes.
9) Running tap water, 15 min.
10) 0.5% acetic acid water rinse, 2 changes, 1 min each
11) Brilliant crocein/acid fuchsin solution, 15 min.
NOTE, when this solution is fresh, stain for only 10 minutes.
12) 0.5% acetic acid rinse, 2 changes, 1 min. each
13) 5% phosphotungstic acid, 20 min.
14) 0.5% acetic acid rinse, 2 changes, 1 min. each
15) Dehydrate to absolute ethanol, beginning in 70%
16) Saffron du Gatinai solution, 1 hour
17) 2 changes of Xylene,  3 min for the first one and 5 minutes for the
second one.
18) mount in you favorite mounting media

RESULTS:
Nuclei.............Black to bluish grey
cytoplasm..........red
elastic............red
collagen...........red
cartilage..........red or yellow
calcified cartilage.....sea green
osteoid............red
mineralied bone....yellow

Hope this helps.  Off to go swimming now... bye! *G*

Connie McManus
Veterinary Diagnostics Lab
Utah State University
Logan, UT
USA