I  haven't  used  the  combination  but have used both these dyes in
   other  =  combinations.  Both  dyes are prone to deterioration, as
   outlined   belo=  w.
 
Solutions  of  metanil
   yellow  don't  keep v= ery well - the colour slowly changes to light
   brown  over  a  couple of wee= ks or so, and then you need to make a
   new  solution.  Could  deteriorat= ed metanil yellow be the cause of
   your  difficulty?  
 <=  BR>Even the best alcian
   blue  can,  with  time, change into an insolu= ble pigment. This
   can  happen to to the stored powder, which= one day refuses
   to  dissolve. The change occurs quite quickly= in solutions
   at  about pH 5 that are used in conjunction with a magnesiu= m salt.
   The  more  acidic alcian blue solutions (pH 1 or 2.5) commonly= used
   for  staining  are  usually stable for several months.
&nb   sp;
Alcian  blue  8G  is  available  as a certified dye, so
   don'=  t use non-certified stuff, which may not have been
   adequately=  tested.  Metanil yellow is not one of the dyes
   tested by the = Biological Stain
   Commission.
 
John               KiernanAnatomy,  UWO
London,  Canada 
=  =
   =<=  BR>----- Original Message -----
From: Diana McCaig
   <dm=  ccaig@ckha.on.ca>
Date: Thursday,
   April  3,  200=  8  10:23
Subject:  [Histonet] Alcian
   Blue-Metanil Yellow<= BR>To:
   histonet@lists.utsouthwestern.edu

>=    Is
   anyone   using  this  stain.   We  were  doing  this  stain
   
=   >   routinely   on   all
>  esophagus
   biopsies. =   Originally   it   was   done   manually  then
   
>      programmed      on>     an
   autostainer.
>   
>=  The stain
   worked  great  but  recently  we  have  been experiencing problems<   BR>>  with  uneven,  inconsistent staining.  Has
   anyo=  ne else had 
> problems with
> this
   stain?=            
>            Diana
>
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