A NEW ION ASSOCIATION TECHNIQUE FOR DEMONSTRATING POLYANIONS IN TISSUE SECTIONS

A new ion association technique was developed in our laboratory to demonstrate polyanions histochemically. The identification of the polyanions was effected in two steps: (1) the formation of a polyanion-quaternary ammonium complex following treatment with a quaternary salt and (2) subsequent formation of a red ion association complex with the quaternary moiety following treatment with ferric thiocyanate solution. Chemical studies indicated that the ion association complexes are cetyltrimethylammonium-hexathiocyanatoferrate (iii) and cetylpyridinium-hexathiocyanatoferrate (iii). These are red in color, very soluble in organic solvents such as chloroform, ethanol, methanol, acetone and xylene and insoluble in water.