Glycol methacrylate in light microscopy: nucleic acid cytochemistry

Techniques utilizing Feulgen, azure B bromide, methyl green-pyronin, gallocyanin chromalum and cresyl violet stains have been modified and adapted for visualizing nucleic acids in 0.5-2.0 micrometer sections of tissues embedded in glycol methacrylate (GMA). Methods for evaluating the stain specificity for DNA and RNA using deoxyribonuclease and ribonuclease digestions, aldehyde blocking, and acid extractions are also described. The specificity of the stains in GMA embedded tissues is comparable to that reported for paraffin-embedded tissues.