Cytochemical localization of acid mucosubstances within rabbit, chicken, frog and fish skeletal muscle fibers.

Skeletal muscles of rabbits, chickens, frogs and fishes were studied by bright field, phase contrast and polarization microscopy after treatment with: (1) Alcian Blue, pH 2.5, (2) Alcian Blue, pH 1.0, (3) low iron diamine, (4) high iron diamine, (5) dialyzed iron, pH 2.0, and (6) colloidal iron, pH 1.5. A prominent aspect of each of the muscles studied was transverse muscle bands which stained with Alcian Blue at pH 2.5, low iron diamine and dialyzed and colloidal iron reagents. Staining of transverse bands was not very intense with these reagents, suggesting that the materials demonstrated occurred in relatively low concentrations. Staining of transverse bands in chicken, frog and fish muscles was observed also after treatment with Alcian Blue at pH 1.0 or with high iron diamine. Staining of rabbit muscle with Alcian Blue at pH 1.0 or with high iron diamine was not detectable even after the most effective fixatives employed in this study, viz., Carony's fixative or buffered HgCl2. Phase contrast and pola...