A new method for easy demonstration of argyrophil cells

Abstract

A new method for silver impregnation of endocrine cells of the gastrointestinal mucosa is described. It offers great reliability, eveness of impregnation, and, since it can be used on batches of slides, is also suitable for histology class and investigation material. The procedure for paraffin sections of formalin-fixed material is as follows: dewax and transfer to distilled water, leave in 0.5% silver nitrate solution for 2 hours at 60 C. Rinse in distilled water, then treat in Bodian developer (hydroquinone, 1 g; sodium sulphite, 5 g; distilled water, 100 ml) previously heated to 60 C. Rinse in running tap water, distilled water, and then re-impregnate for 10 minutes at 60 C in the same silver solution and reduce in Bodian's solution. Since the background is not impregnated by this method, sections may be counterstained by any basic anilin dye to bring out nuclei. A 0.1% kernechtrot solution was found very satisfactory in this respect. The granulations of argyrophil cells stand out sharply black against a red background.