At 03:00 PM 9/13/99 -0600, kathy_hicks_at_opr-2@smtp.mcis.uchicago.edu wrote:
>
>     Hello!
>     We were just wondering... does anyone have a copper method that does 
>     not require 18 hours incubation time?  Thanks!
>

  There are two good, solid histochemical methods for copper. They
  differ in sensitivity and with the chemical state of the copper atoms
  you are trying to detect.  There are also methods of low specificity
  and high sensitivity that detect copper and/or several other metals
  that have insoluble sulphides.  This is a field in which the needs of
  the investigation determine which is the best of several techniques,
  because all the methods have their limitations. 

  The good solid methods use organic reagents that form coloured
  complexes with Cu(II), Cu(I) or both. Dithiooxamide (= rubeanic
  acid) is easier to use;  p-dimethylaminobenzylidenerhodanine is
  more sensitive but much more difficult to spell. The sulphide-silver
  methods of Timm, Danscher and others are more sensitive, but
  they also detect zinc and several other metals. 

  Anyone doing metal histochemistry needs to consult a textbook
  of Histochemistry before deciding which method(s) to use. 
  My textbook (1999) has a chapter on inorganic histochemistry 
  (and I'll be delighted if you buy it), but for research purposes you 
  need to spend more money and dig more deeply. Pearse's      "Histochemistry," especially Vol. 2 is a Must for any histochemical       professional.  

 

   
                    John A. Kiernan
                    Dept of Anatomy and Cell Biology
                    University of Western Ontario
                    LONDON,   Canada.
 
                      (kiernan@uwo.ca)