No warranties on this one but Calcofluor White M2R (Fluorescent brightener
28, Sigma) may work but staining may not be very specific. Lectins are
another possible alternative.
Biotech Histochem 1992 Mar;67(2):88-97
Block-surface staining for differentiation of starch
and cell walls in wheat endosperm.
Glenn GM, Pitts MJ, Liao K, Irving DW.
Western Regional Research Center, USDA-ARS, Albany, California 94710.
A staining technique for differentiating starch
granules and cell walls was developed for computer-assisted studies of starch
granule
distribution in cells of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)
caryopses. Blocks of embedded caryopses were sectioned, exposing the
endosperm tissue, and stained with iodine potassium
iodide (IKI) and Calcofluor White. Excessive tissue hydration during staining
was
avoided by using stains prepared in 80% ethanol and
using short staining times. The IKI quenched background fluorescence which
facilitated the use of higher concentrations of
Calcofluor White. Cell wall definition was improved with the IKI-Calcofluor
staining
combination compared to Calcofluor alone. The high
contrast between darkly stained starch granules and fluorescent cell walls
permitted computer assisted analysis of data from
selected hard and soft wheat varieties. The ratio of starch granule area to
cell area
was similar for both wheat classes. The starch granule
sizes ranged from 2.1 microns 3 to 22,000 microns 3 with approximately 90%
of the granules measuring less than 752 microns 3 (ca.
11 microns in diameter). Hard wheat samples had a greater number of small
starch granules and a lower mean starch granule area
compared to the soft wheat varieties tested. The starch size distribution
curve
was bimodal for both the hard and soft wheat
varieties. Three-dimensional starch size distribution was measured for four
cells near the
central cheek region of a single caryopsis. The
percentage of small granules was higher at the ends than at the mid-section
of the cells
Adelina de la Jara wrote:
> I am a new list member and use to look up this e-mail archive to solve my
> questions. Now I would like to ask the list if anyone can suggest a good
> fluorescent dye for monitoring starch accumulation in microalgae?
>
> Many thanks.
>
> Adelina de la Jara Valido
> Instituto Tecnologico de Canarias
> Dpto. de Biotecnologia
> Pozo Izquierdo 35119 Santa Lucia, Gran Canaria, Spain
> Tfno.: 0034 928 133290
> Fax: 0034 928 132830
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