Formaldehyde-hydrochloric acid treatment. A fluorescence histochemical method for the demonstration of tryptophan residues in peptides and proteins.

Treatment with formaldehyde gas and HCl vapor, simultaneously or in sequence, induces fluorescence with indoles, including tryptophan residues of peptides, as is evident from studies on protein droplet models. Among cells that display intense formaldehyde-HCl-induced fluorescence are pancreatic exocrine cells, gastric chief cells, Paneth cells and enterochromaffin cells. Peptide hormone-producing cells that can be visualized by the formaldehyde-HCl treatment include gastrin cells and glucagon cells. The simultaneous procedure has proved superior to the sequential procedure. Simultaneous formaldehyde-HCl treatment appears to be a useful method for the demonstration of tryptophan residues of peptides and proteins. It seems more sensitive than previously described indole methods.