Dear Carolyn,

	I have previously been involved in corneal experimental work, we used
either Methylene Blue or Aniline Blue (EM thick section stain) for staining
both resin & paraffin sections, in our case we were uninterested in
quantification of the collagen, we were more interested in other areas.  I
think one of the researchers also used acid fuchsin.

	My copy of Bancroft &Stevens, "Theory & Practice of Histological
Techniques" 3rd Edn, states that type 1 collagen has a strong affinity with
acid dyes, other types of collagen may detected immunohistochemically.

	The follow staining reactions are listed for Collagen:

	Van Geison		Red
	Masson Tri-chrome	Blue/Green
	MSB			Blue
	PTAH			Orange/Red
	PAS			Pale pink
	Reticulin Silver		Pale grey
	Methenamine Silver	Unstained
	Autofluorescence		Negative
	Refractivity		Negative
	Birefringence 		Positive
	H&E			Deep Pink

	Regards
	
	Rob W.

At 01:57 PM 7/9/99 -0500, you wrote:
>Hello,
>I study corneal development in the mouse.  We have mutant mice that I 
>suspect have problems bundling collagen fibrils and making sure they are 
>the correct diameter.  I am in the process of having TEM done using 
>phosphotungstic acid to visualize the fibers.  
>I was wondering if there were any stains specific for collagens in 
>general, or for specific collagens using routine histology or frozen 
>sections.  The histology book we have in lab is from 1975 and says
>there are no specific staining reactions for collagen, but that it binds 
>the fuchsin in van Geison's stain and the analine blue of Mallory's 
>stain.  I have used Mallory's and I see blue staining in the cornea, but 
>less than in normal animals.  
>What about silver staining?
>Does anyone have any suggestions, or is TEM the best way to go?
>Thanks,
>Carolyn Pressman
>MD Anderson Cancer Center
>HOuston, TExas

R. Wadley, B.App.Sc, M.L.S
Laboratory Manager
Cellular Analysis Facility
School of Microbiology & Immunology
UNSW, New South Wales, Australia, 2052
Ph (BH) 	+61 (2) 9385 3517
Ph (AH)	+61 (2) 9555 1239
Fax 	+61 (2) 9385 1591
E-mail	r.wadley@unsw.edu.au
www	http://www.micro.unsw.edu.au/caf.html