Histochemical studies on metachromatic mucin stain with hematein.

It has been known that the mucihematein stain of Mayer (1896) is a traditional staining method for mucin. Thompson (1966) has noted that Mayer introduced the mucihematein stain for the demonstration of certain types of acid mucopolysaccharides in tissue sections. Although this technic is relatively specific it is empirical. According to Mallory (1938), Mayer's mucihematein stain is particularly useful for the demonstration of acid mucopolysaccharides (mucins) of fibroblastic origin. Epithelial mucins may give variable results ranging from intensely positive to negative. In recent years attempts were made by numerous investigators to elucidate the kinds, biochemical properties, and distribution in tissues of the mucopolysaccharides. It is considered that classifying mucopolysaccharides into fibroblastic and epithelial origin seems not to be appropriate. On the basis of the present findings regarding the mucopolysaccharides, we have investigated the kinds of mucopolysaccharides to which hematein shows affinity and its staining properties. Instead of commercially available hematein, the dye used in this study was prepared according to the method described by Arshid et al. (1954).