On Thu, 31 May 2001, Jamie Erickson wrote:

> I am in need of an antibody or kit that I can use to stain mouse 
> pancreas sections for insulin.

You will get advice about plenty of suitable antibodies.

The insulin in the B-cells of the islets in sections of 
pancreas can also be stained by a simple histochemical
method - no need to spend $$$$ on antibodies, just $$ on
simple chemicals. The aldehyde-fuchsine method is one of 
a number of simple techniques for staining insulin by
wirtue of its high cystine content. (See textbooks 
passim ad nauseam. Also some original papers, including 
Wohlrab et al 1987 Histochem J 19: 605-606 and
Mowry & Kent 1988 Stain Technol 63: 311-323.)

The Biological Stain Commission's meeting in Birmingham,
Alabama (8th June) includes a symposium honoring Dr RW Mowry's
many contributions to histochemistry, along with those of
other old-timers from the Southern States. It will be a
small, friendly, informal meeting that's well worth going to. 
I'm looking forward to it with enthusiasm. For information check 
out the BSC's web site:  www.biostains.org
----------------------------------------
John A. Kiernan
Department of Anatomy & Cell Biology
The University of Western Ontario
London,  Canada   N6A 5C1
   kiernan@uwo.ca
   http://publish.uwo.ca/~jkiernan