[Detection and analysis of aldehyde fuchsin positive fibers in the connective tissue of the human oviductal mucosa. I. Preliminary investigations and demonstration of the morphological substratum (author's transl)].

Investigating the biomorphosis of the human uterine tube, it was possible to detect aldehyde fuchsin positive fibers in the lamina propria mucosae. These fibers can be regarded as sulphur containing scleroproteins relating to the histochemical findings of oxidation, thiosulphation, methylation, sensitivity to pepsin and papain, respectively. For the visualization of the morphological substratum it was necessary to treat the fixed or fresh unfixed tissue chemically by oxidation and thiosulfation before the slices were stained with aldehyde fuchsin. Among several oxidantia examined in preliminary trial tests, peracetic acid, performic acid, potassium permanganate, bromine, ammonium persulphate (mixing with sulphuric acid), periodic acid (t = 24 h) effected the aldehyde fuchsin staining of the fibers. It is presumably that the effective oxidantia are able to destroy protein bound disulphides localizing in the connective tissue fibers. Aldehyde fuchsin was prepared as recommended by MOWRY (1975, paraldehyde fuchsin) and by BOCK and OCKENFELS (1970, crotonaldehyde fuchsin). Besides, solutions of paraldehyde fuchsin according to MOWRY's modification prepared with basic fuchsin as well as pararosanilin (C. I. 42 500) was analyzed by spectrophotometry and by thin layer chromatography. The dye analysis has shown that the dye consists of various components and the composition of the dye bath changes with increasing age of the solution. By the way, the freshly prepared solutions were used between 3 and 18 days after preparation. Generally, the peracetic acid - aldehyde-fuchsin stain describing by FULLMER and Lillie (1958 a) was suitable for the reproducible demonstration of the aldehyde fuchsin fibers in oviducts from several stages of life. In neonatal uterine tubes the fibers spread over the mucosa as a multidimensional network, and in senile ones they are localized zonally near the epithelium. It was possible to visualize the aldehyde fuchsin positive fibers also in other organs and tissue formations, e.g. in perichondria of the tracheobronchial tree, in the lung, small intestine, and uterus.