Use of strontium as the capture ion in adenyl cyclase histochemical staining of skeletal muscle.

Histochemical staining of adenyl cyclase was performed in muscle specimens. Adenylyl imidodiphosphate (AMP-PNP) was used as the reaction substrate and strontium was used as the capture ion for the liberated phosphate. Staining appeared in the vascular structures between muscle fibers and between muscle fascicles. Substituting lead for strontium as the capture ion resulted in loss of the staining of small vessels between muscle fibers, while indistinct staining of larger vascular structures between muscle fascicles was preserved.