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Sodium borohydride as an aldehyde blocking reagent for electron microscope histochemistry

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Sodium borohydride is shown to be an effective aldehyde blocking reagent of the Schiff reaction in electron microscope studies. Aqueous sodium borohydride (0.1%, 30 min) effectively blocks aldehydes produced by periodic acid oxidation of polysaccharides in thin sections of glutaraldehyde-osmium fixed epoxy-embedded tissue prepared for thiocarbohydrazide-silver proteinate staining. It is equally effective in 1% Na2HPO4 and 1% borax solutions, but Fails to block in 30 min when in 0.1 M borate buffer pH 7.6.

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Craig, A.S. Sodium borohydride as an aldehyde blocking reagent for electron microscope histochemistry. Histochemistry 42, 141–144 (1974). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00533265

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00533265

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