THE EFFECT OF DIGESTION WITH STREPTOMYCES HYALURONIDASE UPON CERTAIN HISTOCHEMICAL REACTIONS OF HYALURONIC ACID-CONTAINING TISSUES

Abstract

The effect of digestion with Streptomyces hyaluronidase upon certain histochemical reactions of hyaluronic acid-containing tissues has been studied in a series of human, mammalian and avian specimens. These histochemical reactions are those for the demonstration of neutral and sulfated and nonsulfated acid mucosaccharides such as periodic acid-Schiff, Alcian Blue (pH 1.0), azure A (pH 1.5), high iron diamine, aldehyde fuchsin, Alcian Blue (pH 2.5), Alcian Blue (pH 2.5)-periodic acid Schiff, azure A (pH 4.5), low iron diamine and colloidal iron. In addition, the effect of digestion with testicular hyaluronidase upon the same reactions of the same tissues was observed for comparison. Digestion with Streptomyces hyaluronidase diminishes the staining reactions due to hyaluronic acid but fails to affect those for neutral and sulfated acid mucosaccharides. These results indicate that digestion with Streptomyces hyaluronidase is a method of choice for the identification of hyaluronic acid in mucosaccharide histochemistry.