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Web Based Promotion! 10% Off any initial product order. Mention promo code 1204
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| Volume 5, Number 1, Page 5. Go to Main article |
Spring 2002 |
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Summary of Really Special Stains
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Anatech Ltd. now has a growing family of Really Special Stains. They are Special because they go beyond what hematoxylin and eosin can show, but they are really special because each is unique, a distinct improvement over the traditional. These are not conventional stains made better; rather, they are different. Each was developed in response to a problem with existing material. As with all of our products, we understand the chemistry behind the reactions. This enables us to provide an uncommon level of technical support. And that makes these Really Special Stains We invite you to consider them as you place your next order for dyes or stains.
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Brazilliant! and Brazilin
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Figure 8. Intestine fixed in Prefer and stained with Alcian Blue pH 2.5 + Brazilliant!. 40x
Cat. #860 Brazilin (dye) 50 g bottle
Cat. #861 Brazilliant! (stain) quart
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Nuclear fast red is a problem. Supplies of the dye are unreliable and highly variable in quality. Recent material tends to leave a fine white precipitate on slides. Making the solution yourself is a hassle because the solution must be nearly boiled and subsequent filtration is difficult. After all that, the color is weak and provides rather indistinct contrast.
Our Brazilliant! has the crispness of a great Harris hematoxylin with a shelf life of at least 18 months. The stain is made with Brazilin (CI 75280), a natural dye extracted from Brazil wood (after which the country of Brazil derived its name). It is closely related chemically and botanically to hematoxylin. Although the dye has long been used by fiber artists, it was in such crude form that it could not be used for biological stains. Suitable material was not available to our field until we introduced a purified form in 2001. We offer the dye to those who like to make their own stains; directions for making an exceptional red nuclear stain are included. For those seeking convenience, buy Brazilliant! See Figure 8.
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Hp Stains
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When Alcian yellow disappeared, the best stain for Helicobacter pylori was lost. Hp Yellow and Hp Blue replace Alcian yellow and toluidine blue. Results are identical (Figures 1, 5 and 6). Both stains are reasonably priced, stable and ready to use.
Hp Yellow also can be used in place of conventional Schiff's Reagent when a red or magenta color is not desired. Such is the case shown in Figure 9.
Cat. #869 Hp Yellow quart
Cat. #870 Hp Blue quart
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Figure 9. Cloacal gland from a salamander (Plethodon) fixed in NBF and stained with Hp Yellow+Amyloid Red+Harris Hematoxylin. The yellow secretion is a Schiff-positive carbohydrate. The red granules consist of an as-yet-unidentified non-polar material (red). 50x
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