DEMONSTRATION OF MICROORGANISMS IN TISSUES BY ABT AND KOH-ABT TOPO-OPTICAL REACTIONS

Abstract

The aldehyde-bisulfite-toluidine blue (ABT) reaction, as a selective topo-optical test of vicinal OH and amino-OH groups is suited for the selective demonstration of microorganisms in polysaccharide-containing [animal] cells. Alkaline pretreatment of the polysaccharide cell walls releases, by splitting the O-acyl radicals, further vicinal OH groups for the ABT reaction. This actually increases the sensitivity of the method. The topo-optical reactions are characterized by a strong birefringence induced by oriented dye-binding due to the linear arrangement of polysaccharides composing the cell wall. Differences in the character of birefringence made it possible to work out a new method for the analysis of the cell wall ultrastructure and to demonstrate microorganisms in tissues. The practical value of the reactions is illustrated by examples.