Ruthenium Red Stain Able Surface Layer on Lung Alveolar Cells; Electron Microscopic Interpretation

Luft's ruthenium red (RR) method was applied to lung tissue. Small blocks of mouse lung were fixed for 1 hr with 1.2% glutaraldehyde at 0-4 C, buffered with 0.067 M cacodylate, pH 7.3 and containing RR, 1 mg/ml. Following fixation, lung blocks were immersed in 0.15 M cacodylate for 10 min and postfixed for 3 hr at room temperature with 2% OsO4 buffered with 0.067 M cacodylate, pH 7.3, and containing RR, 1 mg/ml. Blocks were dehydrated with ethanol, embedded in Araldite, and ultrathin sections treated with uranyl acetate and lead citrate solutions to enhance contrast of cell structures. Electron micrographs revealed an electron-dense layer coating the exposed surfaces of alveolar cells. This layer corresponded in location and appearance to that observed by other investigators who used colloidal iron techniques.