I finally found some Alcian Yellow through Alfa Aesar ( you can look it
up on their web site). An easier way to differentiate is to adjust the
pH of the Alcian Blue stain. At pH 2.5 Both carboxylated and sulfated
acid mucopolysaccarides stain dark blue (and sialomucins). At pH 1.0
only sulfated acid mucopolysaccarides stain (and sialomucins).

Lance Erickson B.S., HTL (ASCP)
Supervisor Anatomic Pathology/Histology
Primary Children's Medical Center
Salt Lake City, Ut   

>>> Sarah LaBonte <slabonte@cvm.tamu.edu> 06/14/01 03:28PM >>>
Hi Netters.
  I have a grad student looking for alcian yellow, can't seem to find
it in any of the catalogs.  Is it still available for purchase?  He
wants to do a Alcian Blue/Alcian Yellow  (AB/AY) stain, ref.: Ravetto,
1964 to differentiate between  sulfated and carboxylated acid
mucopolysaccharides in freshwater muscles.  Are there any substitute
stains that would work?  
Any help would be appreciated.  Thanks for all the cartilage stain
suggestions.
-Sarah


Sarah LaBonte, HT (ASCP)
Research Associate, Histology Lab
Texas A&M University
College of Veterinary Medicine
Dept. of Vet Anatomy & Public Health
College Station, TX  77843-4458
phone: (979) 845-3177
fax:  (979) 458-3499