Richard

Is g'day from an aussie in Glasgow or a Glaswegian with a aussie
background?

I don't believe that it matters whether the dye is actually in solution,
is just present as a suspension or as a complex as almost all the methods
rely on the differential solubility of the dye in lipids compared to the
solution. I think that if a complex exists that it is a temporary one
until lipids are encountered.

Barry


At 06:16 AM 11/09/2001 -0500, you wrote: 

>>>>

arialG'day Tracey - You
wondered - - 


I ran the Churukian method of the Oil Red O stain.  It looks
great and I 

had no problems.  I am curious to know though, exactly what is the
purpose 

of the dextrin? 



 Arial  

Having an old copy of Lillie+Fulmer on my bookshelf I looked in there
under ORO. They say "Add 1% dextrin to stabilize and intensify the
stain." Well that is a purpose, as ORO and similar fat dyes disolved in
mixtures of water and an organic solvent can precipitate messily. 


Which leaves me with another question, no two actually. 


1. Does it work? Seem to remember checking this, but long ago and I
cannot remember what we found! 


2. It presumably did work at least once, for Dr Lillie: so WHY did it? 

This morning's speculation follows: some dextrins do form complexes with
dyes in solution (there's a chemical literature about this) which
increases the solubility of the dyes in aqueous solution. If this occurs
with ordinary 'dextrin' then that would indeed 'stabilize' the ORO. 

Maybe! Speculation - - 


OK back to work - Richard 


Institute of Biomedical & Life Sciences, University of Glasgow 

T direct 01796-474 480 --- E  RichardWHorobin@aol.com 

"What should we expect? Everything."
0f0f,0f0f,0f0f 


arial

arial<<<<<<<<