[Fluorescence and optical polarization research on the qualitative and quantitative estimation of neutral carbohydrates in the basement membrane of human placental villi].

In the trophoblast basement membrane of human placental villi, neutral carbohydrates were investigated by means of fluorescence and polarization optical methods. By a modified fluorescence-PAS-reaction using a Schiff-type reagent substituted with acriflavine, the basement membrane could be stained selectively. The reaction product of known chemical structure is characterized by a typical birefringence that can be measured in the polarized light. The combination of the fluorescence histochemical method with the polarization optical one permits to obtain qualitative and quantitative data for the carbohydrate component and its incorporation and arrangement into the basement membrane at the molecular level.