To:             	RSRICHMOND@aol.com
Subject:        	Re: LACMOID
Send reply to:  	ALLISON@CARDIFF.AC.UK
Date sent:      	Fri, 16 Mar 2001 08:07:18 GMT0BST


Floyd Green in the Sigma-Aldrich Handbook of Stains, Dyes and 
Indicators lists Lacmoid.
Brief info: - used as indicator and in plant histology.

More info for dye buffs! - and I hope I do not transgress the 
copyright laws:-

An oxazine dye made by heating resorcinol, sodium nitrite and 
water (100:5:5)in an oil bath until all of the ammonia emanating 
from the reaction has been depleted.  The resulting melt is 
digested in hot water and a crude product is precipitated from the 
filtrate by adjusting the pH to approx. 5.8 with hydrochloric acid.  
Further purification is accomplished by an ethanol recrystallisation.

  -  and you think you've got Health & Safety ptoblems!!!

It is soluble in methanol, ethanol acetic acid and acetone.

USES.
for plant material containing callose (not a typo), as a counterstain 
to haematoxylin for general plant tissue, as a neatral counterstain 
used with haematoxylin for phloem and, to demonstrate callose in 
pollen tubes with Martius yellow.

No reference to human tissue oocytes or anything else - except as 
an acid/base indicator.

Incidentally - Floyd Green's is a smashing book!
Russ


------- End of forwarded message -------
Russ Allison, 
Dental School
Cardiff
Wales