Osmium Zinc Iodide Reactive Sites in the Epidermal Langerhans Cell

Abstract

Fixation of epidermis with a mixture of osmium tetroxide and zinc iodide (Os0 4 -ZnI 2) for 24 hr renders the central periodic lamella of the Langerhans cell granule (LCG), the Golgi region, and the nuclear envelope of epidermal Langerhans cells preferentially visible . The use of this technique on Langerhans cells in normal epidermis and in epidermis of patients with histiocytosis (Letterer-Siwe disease) allows a broader visualization of the LCG's than was heretofore possible with routine glutaraldehyde-osmium tetroxide fixation and uranyl acetate-lead staining. The identical staining of Golgi apparatus and LCG favors the view that there is close relation between the Golgi area and the LCG's . Different staining characteristics of the LCG's near the Golgi region and at the cell periphery, respectively, may suggest that the LCG undergoes changes on its way from the Golgi area towards the extracellular space . The hypothesis is advanced that the material which is heavily impregnated with metal after fixation with Os0 4-ZnI2 might be a lipid .

Effects of energetic shortage upon the ultrastructure o f some organelles, in excised roots of Lycopersicum esculentum cultivated in vitro. I. Reversible structural modifications of the endoplasmic reticulum.

“…The authors (Niebauer et al 1969, Elias et a1. 1972 suggest that the Znh-OsO4 mixture could form com plexes with the phospholipids and with the insaturated lipids.…”

Electron microscopic observation of embryonic meckel's cartilage by osmium impregnation method.

“…Stelzner (1971) (21) suggested that the ER-staining was consistent in oligodendroglia during myelination and endothelial cells during capillary growth, both of which were actively synthesizing lipids. The other work (13) indicated that the osmium deposit almost disappeared from the tissues after the lipid extraction. From a spectrophotometrical study, Riemersma (1968) (20) showed that Os04 could react with lipids, especially the unsaturated fatty acid.…”

“…In some cell types, this technique is of use in preferential staining for not only the Golgi apparatus but also other cytoplasmic organelles (5,7,9,10,12,13,18,20).…”

Ultrastructural Evidences for Endothelial Cell - Leukocytes Interactions: Margination and Migration

“…The lymph nodes of the animals were then quickly removed. Specimens were immersed in the zinc iodide-osmium tetroxide (ZIO) solution by Niebauer et al (1969) and kept in the dark for 2 hours in this solution from temperature for fixation/staining.…”