Summary
An Orcein staining method has been developed which stains mature and immature leukocytes in blood films and bone-marrow smears. Two different patterns of staining are obtained depending on whether staining is or is not preceded by oxidation. In the latter case, all granulocytes and some monocytes show granular reddish-brown cytoplasmic staining. When prior oxidation is used, the staining is in the form of fine grey or black cytoplasmic granules. All lymphocytes, by both techniques, are negative. It is suggested that Orcein stains sulphated mucosubstances, possibly chondroitin sulphate, which in granulocytes is concentrated in their primary granules.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Clausen, J. &Andersen, V. (1963) Acid mucopolysaccharides in human leucocytes.Clin. Chim. Acta 8, 505–12.
Cook, H. C. (1977) Carbohydrates. InTheory and Practice of Histological Techniques (edited byBancroft, J. D. andStevens, A.), p. 159. Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone.
Dunn, W. B. &Spicer, S. S. (1969) Histochemical demonstration of sulphated mucosubstances and cationic proteins in human granulocytes and platelets.J. Histochem. Cytochem. 17 668–74.
Jain, S., Scheuer, P. J., Archer, B., Ewman, S. P. &Sherlock, S. (1978) Histological demonstration of copper and copper-associated protein in chronic liver diseases.J. clin. Path. 31, 784–90.
Kerby, G. P. (1955) The occurence of acid mucopolysaccharides in human leucocytes and urine.J. clin. Invest. 34, 1738–43.
Lindquist, R. R. (1969) Studies on the pathogenesis of hepatolenticular degeneration. II. Cytochemical methods for the localization of copper.Archs Path. 87, 370–9.
Murata, F., Hardin, J. H. &Spicer, S. S. (1973) Co-existence of acid phosphatase and acid mucosubstances in the nucleoid of human blood platelet granules.Histochemie 35, 319–29.
Murata, K. (1974) Acidic glycosaminoglycans in human platelets and leukocytes: the isolation and enzymatic characterization of chondroitin 4-sulfate.Clin. Chim. Acta 57, 115–24.
Olsson, J. &Gardell, S. (1967) Isolation and characterization of glycosaminoglycans from human leukocytes and platelets.Biochim. Biophys. Acta 141, 348–57.
Parmley, R. T., Eguchi, M. &Spicer, S. S. (1979) Ultrastructural cytochemistry of complex carbohydrates in leukocyte granules.J. Histochem. Cytochem. 27, 1167–70.
Parmley, R. T., Spicer, S. S. &O'dell, R. F. (1978) Ultrastructural identification of acid complex carbohydrate in cytoplasmic granules of normal and leukaemic human monocytes.Br. J. Haemat. 39, 33–9.
Sannes, P. L., Spicer, S. S. &Katsuyama, T. (1979) Ultrastructural localization of sulfated complex carbohydrates with a modified iron diamine procedure.J. Histochem. Cytochem. 27, 1108–11.
Shikata, T., Uzawa, T., Yoshiwara, N., Akatsuka, T. &Yamazaki, S. (1974) Staining methods of Australia antigen in paraffin sections—detection of cytoplasmic inclusion bodies.Jap. J. Exp. Med. 44, 25–36.
Sipponen, P. (1976) Orcein positive hepatocellular material in long standing biliary disease. I. Histochemical characteristics.Scand. J. Gastroenterol. 11, 545–52.
Sipponen, P. (1979a) Histochemical reactions of gastrointestinal mucosubstances with Orcein, high iron diamine and alcian blue, after prior oxidation of tissue sections.Histochemistry,59, 199–206.
Sipponen, P. (1979b) Histochemical reactions of gastrointestinal mucosubstances with high iron diamine after prior oxidation and methylation of tissue sections.Histochemistry,64, 297–305.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Shousha, S., Mitchell, T.R. Orcein staining of leukocytes. Histochem J 15, 563–569 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01954147
Received:
Revised:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01954147