Re: Fluoro-jade

From:"J. A. Kiernan"

> Some time ago there was a discussion about using Fluoro-Jade to
> stain degenerating nerve fibers.  I have procedures for using
> the stain on cryosectioned perfused brains but have only come
> across hints that it might be done on paraffin embedded tissue.
>  Has anyone tried it on processed tissue?  I am interested in
> obtaining the procedure.  Thanks so much.

According to Schmued et al (1997; Brain Res 751:37-46)
fluoro-jade 
is an anionic fluorochrome used to stain degenerating neurons.
The 
identity of the dye is evidently a trade secret, but in a later 
paper Schmued et al (2000; Toxicol. Path. 28:91-99) said it was a
fluorescein derivative. I've seen published references only to
its
use on frozen sections. Eosins Y and B are anionic fluorescein 
derivatives.

The cell bodies of degenerating (dead) neurons stain strongly 
with any anionic dye. Eosin is quite good (and is also
fluorescent)
and so is acid fuchsine. See Auer et al 1984 Acta Neuropath
64:177-191;
and also a paper from our lab in Biotech Histochem 73:244-254
(1998). 
The published photos from Schmued's lab show fluorescent cell
bodies
and in some cases dendrites as well, but not degenerating axons.

Before using a stain of unknown identity, you might consider
looking
at H&E-stained sections with a fluorescence microscope.

-------------------------
John A. Kiernan
Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology
The University of Western Ontario
London,   Canada   N6A 5C1
   kiernan@uwo.ca
   http://publish.uwo.ca/~jkiernan/





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