Summary
The defects besetting the histochemical localization of ascorbic acid were removed in the modified method described here by the simultaneous fixation of the experimental material and its reaction with silver nitrate by the use of alcoholic, acidic silver nitrate reagent in the dark at 0–3°C for 24 hours or longer at pH 2–2.5.
The fixatives like acetic acid and alcohol of the reagent ensure quick penetration of AgNO3 for fixation of ascorbic acid in situ before sectioning. It has been experimentally established that none of the other reductants react with AgNO3 at the pH and the temperature mentioned.
The sections were devitaminized by treatment with 6–10% formaline for 3–4 hours to serve as a control.
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Chinoy, N.J. On the specificity of the alcoholic, acidic silver nitrate reagent for the histochemical localization of ascorbic acid. Histochemie 20, 105–107 (1969). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00268703
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00268703