ISSN:
0003-276X
Keywords:
Life and Medical Sciences
;
Cell & Developmental Biology
Source:
Wiley InterScience Backfile Collection 1832-2000
Topics:
Medicine
Notes:
Minute amounts of white or brown adipose tissue can be localized in situ within seconds by covering the organ surfaces with an alkaline solution of dithizon (diphenylthiocarbazone) in alcohol and water. The adipose tissues stain deep green, while the other organs remain unstained, or appear in various shades of pink and red. This technique has been successfully applied to various groups of vertebrates (mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and fishes), and it works in fresh, in deep frozen and in formalin-fixed specimens. It fails after tissue fixation in mercuric chloride-containing fluids. In vitro studies show that the staining reaction is due to (1) a preferential solubility of small amounts of dithizon in adipose tissue lipids, and (2) the development of a green color, which appears when dithizon dissolves in lipids or organic solvents.
Additional Material:
2 Tab.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ar.1091800208
