ALKALINE CONGO RED TECHNIQUE

SECTIONS

4µm paraffin wax sections

SOLUTIONS

1. STOCK ALCOHOLIC SALT SOLUTION

--Saturated sodium chloride in 80% alcohol

2. WORKING SOLUTION

--Stock solution (1) 50cm3
--1% Sodium hydroxide 0.5cm3

--Mix, filter and use within 15 minutes

3. STOCK CONGO RED SOLUTION

Saturated Congo Red in 80% alcohol saturated with sodium chloride

4. WORKING SOLUTION

--Stock solution (3) 50cm3
--1% Sodium hydroxide 0.5cm3

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METHOD

1. Sections to water

2. Stain nuclei lightly with Gills Haematoxylin

3. Wash in water and 'blue' in 1% lithium carbonate

4. Treat with working solution (1) for 20 minutes

5. Drain off and treat with Congo Red working solution (4) for 20 minutes

6. Rinse in alcohol. Dehydrate, clear . Mount sections in DPX

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RESULTS

--Amyloid, eosinophils, elastic - Dull red

--Nuclei - Blue

--Background - Clear

NOTE: No responsibility is assumed by The University of Nottingham or the Queens Medical Centre NHS Trust for any injury and/or damage to persons or property as a matter of products liability, negligence or otherwise, or from any use or operation of any methods, products, instructions or ideas contained in the material herein. It is the users responsibilty to ensure that all procedures are carried out according to appropriate Health and Safety requirements.

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© Copyright 1997 University of Nottingham Medical School Division of Histopathology. This page was last built on Mon, May 5, 1997 with Frontier. Thanks for looking in. Comments to James.Lowe@nottingham.ac.uk