macro, stereo, compound, SEM natural history guy from So Cal

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dlg
Posts: 26
Joined: Wed Nov 04, 2015 11:47 pm

Post by dlg »

Re double stain, each stain has its own specificity. Don't recall the details on Toluene vs Methylene blue. It is a good general histo stain that also works on plastic embedded material. Not sure about H&E, which has a strong red component anyway.

Re fabric dies, why not? You can also put the flowers from EtOH into water, then stain with a water-soluble stain. 70% EtOH is isosmotic with water, so contrary to old-school textbooks, do not do a graduated series down from 70 to 0 (which would be hypo-osmotic and cause tissue swelling), but go straight from 70 to water. See Glauert's TEM prep. book. For long term preservation, go back to 70% EtOH (plus 1% glycerol: new Kew solution, if you want).

Lou Jost
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Joined: Fri Sep 04, 2015 7:03 am
Location: Ecuador
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Post by Lou Jost »

Yes, we always put a bit of glycerine in the mix. Makes them softer and less fragile when being manipulated.

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