THE USE OF AN IRON STAIN FOR THE STUDY OF ALVEOLAR DEVELOPMENT IN THE MOUSE MAMMARY GLAND

Abstract

A method is described of using whole mounts of the mouse mammary gland with Gömöri's potassmm ferrocyanide – hydrochloric acid mixture for staining iron. Because iron accumulates in the epithelial cells in a granular form, most of the mammary gland tree of the mature nonlactating female mouse can be shown up clearly. The staining reaction is quick and uniform, muscle can be clearly differentiated in microdissection, and alveolar development can be estimated from the amount of iron retention in the nonlactating gland.