An evaluation of some complexing methods for the histochemistry of calcium

Abstract

A selection of reagents capable of complexing with calcium in various ways was compared by applying them to tissue sections known to contain calcium in a variety of physiochemical states. Their histochemical potential was evaluated according to their sensitivity, specificity, accuracy of localisation and intensity of staining. Murexide, for light microscopy, and 8-hydroxyquinoline, for fluorescence microscopy proved to be the best overall reagents. They failed to demonstrate calcium oxalate, which was well shown by naphthalhydroxamic acid.

Percutaneous and Transureteral Biopsies of Renal Papillae: Safe and Appropriate Procedures for In Vivo Histologic Analysis in Stone Formers

“…2), because it was the calcium staining method usually applied by our pathologist. Although the Yasue method could be a better method to find plaque, von Kossa staining remains one of the most valid and widely used methods to identify in sections the calcium anions, such as in calcium phosphate 22 that represent the interstitial Randall plaque precursors.…”

Histopathological occurrence and characterisation of calcium oxalate: a review.

“…Alkaline quinalizarin (McGee-Russell, 1958) and alizarin red S (Kurrein et al, 1975) have given clear-cut positive staining, but other anthraquinone type dyes generally stain calcium oxalate only peripherally or not at all (Yasue, 1969a;Meloan et al, 1972;Chaplin, 1974). Of more recently introduced complexing methods for calcium, only chloranilic acid and naphthalhydroxamic acid at pH 8&5 proved capable of visualising known oxalate deposits (Voigt, 1957;Chaplin and Grace, 1976). Using naphthalhydroxamic acid on material from a case of ethylene glycol intoxication, Roscher (1971) obtained positive staining in hepatic nuclei, as well as in renal tubules and meninges, providing histological correlation of the biochemically elevated hepatic oxalate levels found in similar cases by Zarembski and Hodgkinson (1967).…”

Calcium deposits in the perineurium and their relation to lipid accumulation

“…The specificity of the histochemical methods for calcium localization have been discussed in detail elsewhere (Ganter and Jolles 1970;Pearse 1972;Chaplin and Grace 1976;Bodensteiner and Engel 1978). Briefly, the yon Kossa silver nitrate procedure is a metal-substituting method demonstrating anions such as phosphates and carbonates.…”

“…GBHA forms red complexes with calcium ions. The method as used in this study is a sensitive, specific but inconsistent indicator of calcium salts (Chaplin and Grace 1976).…”