Abstract
We have studied the possibility of associating fluorescence microscopy and hematoxylin-eosin staining for the identification of elastic fibers in elastin-rich tissues. Elastic fibers and elastic laminae were consistently identified by the proposed procedure, which revealed it-self to be easy and useful for the determination of such structures and their distribution. The fluorescence properties of stained elastic fibers are due to eosin staining as revealed by fluorescence analysis of the dye in solution, with no or only minor contribution by the elastin autofluorescence. The main advantage of this technique resides in the possibility of studying the distribution of elastic fibers in file material without further sectioning and staining. The use of the confocal laser scanning microscope greatly improved the resolution and selectivity of imaging elastic fibers in different tissues. The determination of the three-dimensional distribution and structure of elastic fiber and laminae using the confocal laser scanning microscope was evaluated and also produced excellent results.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bradbeer JN, Riminucci M, Bianco P (1994) Giemsa as a fluorescent stain for mineralized bone. J Histochem Cytochem 42:677–680
Carvalho HF (1995) Understanding the biomechanics of tendon fibrocartilage. J Theor Biol 172:293–297
Carvalho HF, Taboga SR (1996) The applicability of the H&E staining plus fluorescence microscopy to the study of elastic fibers in elastic cartilages. C.R. Acad Sci III
Carvalho HF, Vidal BC (1995) The elastic system of a pressure-bearing tendon of the bullfrogRana catesbeiana. Ann Anat 177:397–404
Carvalho HF, Taboga SR, Felisbino SL (1996) Fluorescence and confocal laser scanning microscopy of H&E stained sections for the study of elastic fibers in skin and in skin disorders. Br J Dermatol
Chadwick CS, McEntegart MG, Nairn RC (1958) Fluorescent protein tracers: a trial of new fluorochromes and the development of an alternative to fluorescein. Immunology 1:315–327
Kenny N, Rahman NA, Barisas BG, Roess DA (1993) Class I major histocompatibility complex antigens are not associated with the LH/CG receptor on ovine luteal cells. Biochim Biophys Acta 1220:94–100
Lillie RD (1977) H. Conn's biological stains, 9th edn. Williams and Wilkins, Baltimore
Londo TR, Rahman NA, Roess DA, Barisas BG (1993) Fluorescence depletion measurements in various experimental geometries provide true emission and absorption anisotropies for the study of protein cotation. Biophys Chem 48:241–257
Pearse AGE (1972) Histochemistry: theoretical and applied, 3rd edn, vol 2. Williams and Wilkins, London
Vidal BC (1978) The use of the fluorescent probe 8-anilinonaphthalene sulfate (ANS) for collagen and elastin histochemistry. J Histochem Cytochem 26:196–201
Vidal BC (1980) Aorta elasticae and tendon collagen reactivity to 8-anilinonaphthalene sulfate (ANS) and dansylchloride. Cell Mol Biol 26:583–588
Weigert C (1898) Über eine Methode zur Färbung elastischer Fasern. Zentralbl Allg Pathol 9:289–292
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
de Carvalho, H.F., Taboga, S.R. Fluorescence and confocal laser scanning microscopy imaging of elastic fibers in hematoxylin-eosin stained sections. Histochem Cell Biol 106, 587–592 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02473274
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02473274