Fluorescent Staining of Juxtaglomerular Cells in Frozen Sections

Abstract

Enzymatic investigations of the juxtaglomerular apparatus often creates the need for visualisation of granulated juxtaglomerular cells (JGC) in preparations subjected to histochemical procedures. In our investigations, Pitcock and Hartroft's (1958) modification of Bowie's method and the Endes et al. (1969) combined trichrome staining proved to be inadequate when applied to fresh cryostat sections, or to formol- or glutaraldehyde-fixetl, gum sucrose-impregnated frozen sections. Friedberg and Reid's (1966) crystal violet procedure for waxembedded kidneys also failed to give uniformly reproducible results. In attempting to find a satisfactory technique for both enzyme and granule staining, we noted Janigan's (1965) and Haratla's (1969) observations on paraffin-embedded JGC, and tested the following fluorochromes: thioflavine T—Fluka, C. I. 49005; auramine O—Merck, C. I. 41000; acridine orange—E. Gurr, C. I. 46005; berberine sulfate—Fluka, C. I. 75160 on 10 μ sections of albino mouse kidneys prepared in 4 different ways as follows: