REFLECTION CONTRAST MICROSCOPY WITHIN CHROME-ALUM HEMATOXYLIN STAINEDTHICK TISSUE-SECTIONS

This paper introduces two innovations in reflection contrast microscop y (RCM): (1) an extended application for qualitative light microscopic investigations; and (2) a novel method for quantification in cytochem istry. (1) We found out that RCM cannot only be used for surface chara cterizations and in thin sections but also within thick tissue-section s. The use of the RCM technique is demonstrated on slides of the supra optic nucleus (SON) of the rat stained with chrome-alum haematoxylin: Among all the stained structures only neurosecretory granules are foun d to cause reflections. The visualization of the neurosecretion and it s distribution is more distinct and of sharper contrast than in bright field microscopy. (2) The improved differentiation allows the quantif ication of neurosecretion in tissue-sections by combining RCM with gre y-scale image analysis.