[Taxacom] Selective staining of suberified cells in Poaceae

[Curtis Clark]

On 2013-05-13 10:42 AM, Martin Dub? wrote:
> Stains that color suberin (in so-called suberous short cells for ex.) also color other parts of tissue (chlorenchyma for ex.) making such preparations often difficult to observe, unless these latter are removed.  However, in certain cases (as with lemmas), removing the unwanted tissue is hardly possible.   I would greatly appreciate receiving suggestions from experienced botanists about a more selective stain for the suberin containing cells, i.e. not coloring cuticle or cell walls or cytoplasm.  P.S.: I have been using lactophenol cotton blue which is not selective enough.

Traditionally, lipid stains such as the Sudan stains have been used, but 
they also stain cuticle in some cases. Here are some Google Scholar hits:

http://bio.kuleuven.be/sys/iawa/IAWA%20J%20pdf%27s/5.no.1-4.1984/5.3.243_248.pdf

http://informahealthcare.com/doi/abs/10.3109/10520299109110562 (paywall)

http://www.researchgate.net/publication/226150412_A_berberine-aniline_blue_fluorescent_staining_procedure_for_suberin_lignin_and_callose_in_plant_tissue/file/79e4150bc241c1e353.pdf

-- 
Curtis Clark        http://www.csupomona.edu/~jcclark
Biological Sciences                   +1 909 869 4140
Cal Poly Pomona, Pomona CA 91768