Our lab is interested in developing a good silver-based
Nissl-like stain for human sections, preferable both for
reserach-fixed human brain and for routinely fixed (month)
brain.
Several protocols have been published which yield a jet-black
neuronal stain (much like a Nissl stain) using silver.
These included two by Tolivia (one for month-glutaraldehyde
fixed rat, and one for glycol methacrylate) and one by Merker
(for fairly routine lab animal protocols.) The point is that
one often does not get _really_ good Nissl staining in routine,
long-fixed older human brain. We've had modest luck with
the Merker method and will keep twiddling that,
but there may be other approaches we
don't know about. Sometimes, for example, a Bielschowsky stain gives
a tan psuedo-Nissl stain, but this is quite unpredictable, and
it's about the most expensive stain there is and somewhat complex.
We'd like impregnation of all the neurons, with a little extension
into the dendrites for shape and orientation.
Bruce Quinn quinn @ is2.nyu.edu