Unambiguous results are easy to see with Merck Millipore’s new silver staining products

Two new products join the silver staining product range. The silver staining kit acc. to von Kossa is designed for simple, reproducible detection of calcium deposits in tissue samples.
For verification of the staining process, Merck Millipore introduces the ISOSLIDE^® kit, control tissue slides that can be compared with a lab’s own specimens.

Silver staining kit for detection of calcium deposits

Detection of calcification in tissues can lead to successful diagnosis of metabolic problems or tumors.
Tissue calcification has been implicated in problems with metabolic processes. It’s also present in tumors. Correct detection of calcium deposits contributes to accurate diagnosis. Silver staining is an excellent method for visualizing calcium deposits in tissue samples.
While it offers incredible sensitivity, many things can interfere with the silver staining process. Fortunately, the Merck Millipore silver staining kit acc. to von Kossa solves the interference problem. The kit makes detection of calcium both simple and reproducible.
In the von Kossa method, silver nitrate solution reacts with calcium compounds within the tissue sample. Calcium ions are replaced by silver ions. After careful exposure to light, the brown-black stained calcium structures become clearly visible. Nuclear fast-red is recommended as a counter stain.
The critical event in this silver staining process is the light exposure. That’s why detailed instructions, including a trouble-shooting guide, are included with the kit to insure your success.

Tissue sections for verification of reticular fiber staining
Sometimes uncertainty can arise when analyzing stained tissue samples. Having a control to compare against can help to increase confidence in your results. In addition, the quality certification accompanying the ISOSLIDE^® kit can be used to document your process.

The ISOSLIDE^® reticulin control preparation kit is intended for the silver staining of reticulin fibers. The slides can be stained using with Merck Millipore’s Reticulin silver plating kit acc. to Gordon & Sweets. Alternatively, you can use your laboratory’s own method. By including a control slide during your staining process, you have a positive sample to compare with your own tissue specimens.

Each kit contains 25 tissue slides prepared from the same block of animal tissue. The slides have a 5-year shelf life. One control slide is pre-stained using the Reticulin silver plating reaction, the rest are unstained. Detailed instructions for reticular fiber staining are also included with the kit.

ISOSLIDE^® control slides are also helpful when it comes to lab accreditation. They are CE-certified, IVDs accompanied by comprehensive quality and process documentation that can be used during an audit.