A NEW ION ASSOCIATION-FRACTIONATION TECHNIQUE FOR IDENTIFYING INDIVIDUAL MUCOPOLYSACCHARIDES AND OTHER POLYANIONS IN TISSUE SECTIONS

Abstract

A new histochemical ions association-fractionation technique has been developed for identifying individual mucopolysaccharides and other biological polyanions in tissue sections. This method is based on the differential precipitation of individual polyanions with quaternary ammonium salts in solutions of specific ionic concentration and the subsequent formation of red ion association complexes with the bound quaternary moieties. Hyaluronic acid, the chondroitin sulfates, heparitin sulfate, heparin and RNA were readily identified. Further differentiation was effected by incorporating acetone-dried powder extracts from Flarobacterium heparinum which has been adapted to chondroitin sulfate and heparin.