Alcian blue solution has a difficult time penetrating glycomethacrylate
resins because of its high particle weight  > 1000 daltons.

Give this method a try :

Technique: Methacrylate sections at  2-4 um.

Alcian Blue Solution:

Alcian Blue 8GX		0.5 g
Glacial acetic acid		3.0 ml
DH2O					100 ml
PH to 2.5

Nuclear fast red:

Nuclear fast red			 0.1 g
5% aluminum sulfate	100 ml
Dissolve with heat.. Cool and filter. Add grain of thymol as preservative.


1.	Place slide in plastic staining jar with 50 ml of Alcian blue
solution and irradiate at 450 W (80%) for 60 seconds. Allow the slide to
remain in the hot working solution for a few seconds until staining
intensity is achieved.
2.	Rinse well in distilled water.
3.	Drop nuclear fast red solution onto section and irradiate at 450W
(80%) for 10 seconds.
4.	Rinse in distilled water.
5.	Dehydrate in 95%,100%, clear and mount.



Eric C. Kellar
Histology/Immunohistochemistry
University of Pittsburgh Medical Center

	----------
	From:  Patsy.Ruegg@UCHSC.edu [SMTP:Patsy.Ruegg@UCHSC.edu]
	Sent:  Monday, May 10, 1999 7:51 PM
	To:  histonet@Pathology.swmed.edu
	Subject:  alcian stain for GMA

	the lab is trying to do an Alcian blue on 4um glycol sections. 
	       Do you have a procedure for this.  None of the paraffin
procedures
	are 
	       working.  I can't seem to post this to the histonet, it
always
	returns 
	       the message.  So I wondered if you had anything. 
	       
	       Thanks...Lori 
	        lori.smith@sous.com [SMTP:lori.smith@sous.com]