Staining Differences of Nuclei in Hepatic Cells.

Abstract

During a course of experiments with fixatives we observed an apparent differential staining of nuclei in liver cells. This was obtained after fixation of the tissue in a solution consisting of:

Potassium bichromate 2 gm. Sulphuric acid (conc.) 1.75 cc.

Sodium sulphate 0.75″ Acetic acid (cone.) 5″

Mercuric sulphate 3.5″ Distilled water 87″

Liver tissue from the rabbit, cat, and dog was fixed for about 20 hours, after which it was dehydrated, imbedded in paraffin, and cut into 10μ and 5μ sections. Some sections were stained with Mallory's triple connective tissue stain while others were stained in hematoxylin and eosin.∗

Observations. 1. Some nuclei of mononuclear liver cells appear blue, while others appear red. 2. Both nuclei in some binucleate liver cells appear blue, while in other cells both appear red. 3. In some binucleate liver cells one nucleus appears blue, the other red. 4. In the blue staining nuclei the nucleoli, which may be two in number, stain blue. 5. In the red staining nuclei, the nucleoli are as a rule red, but additional blue nucleoli may be present. 6. The nuclear ground-substance (enchylema) and the nuclear sponge-work stain red in the red nuclei and blue in the blue ones. 7. No apparent difference in the staining affinity of the cytoplasm of the cell body proper has been observed.

Schäfer, 1 Jordan, 2 and Bloom 3 do not describe any differences in the staining of nuclei in liver cells. The latter author comments that in view of the numerous functions which the liver cells perform it is quite striking that there should be such a marked similarity in appearance in all the liver cells. Wilson 4 states regarding nuclei in general: “The nuclear framework undergoes great changes of staining-capacity in different phases of the cell-cycle and may even completely lose its affinity for the basic dyes, becoming purely oxyphilic like linin or general cytoplasm.”