Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

Nitro blue tetrazolium staining: a morphological demonstration of superoxide in the rat retina

Zhang, Hui ; Agardh, Elisabet LU and Agardh, Carl-David LU (1993) In Graefe's Archive for Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology 231(3). p.178-183
Abstract
Nitro blue tetrazolium (NBT) is an artificial electron acceptor which has been suggested to be a useful tool in studies of free radicals. To establish whether NBT could be useful in morphological demonstration of free radicals in the retina, the staining pattern was examined in normal rat retina and after incubation with the free radical scavenger superoxide dismutase or with inhibitors of free radical protective enzymes, such as potassium cyanide, dicoumarol, and aminotriazole. After 60 min incubation in 1 mM NBT, staining was observed in photoreceptors, in some cells in the inner nuclear and ganglion cell layers, and in glial cells. Staining also appeared in the plexiform layers and occasionally in small blood vessels. Addition of... (More)
Nitro blue tetrazolium (NBT) is an artificial electron acceptor which has been suggested to be a useful tool in studies of free radicals. To establish whether NBT could be useful in morphological demonstration of free radicals in the retina, the staining pattern was examined in normal rat retina and after incubation with the free radical scavenger superoxide dismutase or with inhibitors of free radical protective enzymes, such as potassium cyanide, dicoumarol, and aminotriazole. After 60 min incubation in 1 mM NBT, staining was observed in photoreceptors, in some cells in the inner nuclear and ganglion cell layers, and in glial cells. Staining also appeared in the plexiform layers and occasionally in small blood vessels. Addition of superoxide dismutase caused a decreased staining of the inner parts of the retina. The inhibitors of free radical scavengers caused a dose-dependent increase in staining of the inner parts of the retina and, at high concentrations of potassium cyanide, of the photoreceptors. Thus, NBT seems indeed to be useful in morphological studies of free radicals in the retina. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Graefe's Archive for Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology
volume
231
issue
3
pages
178 - 183
publisher
Springer
external identifiers
  • pmid:7681805
  • scopus:0027468669
ISSN
1435-702X
DOI
10.1007/BF00920944
language
English
LU publication?
yes
additional info
The information about affiliations in this record was updated in December 2015. The record was previously connected to the following departments: Unit on Vascular Diabetic Complications (013241510)
id
810a1f73-a0c1-4048-bcab-4c06f733665b (old id 1107327)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 16:29:14
date last changed
2021-01-03 04:54:20
@article{810a1f73-a0c1-4048-bcab-4c06f733665b,
  abstract     = {{Nitro blue tetrazolium (NBT) is an artificial electron acceptor which has been suggested to be a useful tool in studies of free radicals. To establish whether NBT could be useful in morphological demonstration of free radicals in the retina, the staining pattern was examined in normal rat retina and after incubation with the free radical scavenger superoxide dismutase or with inhibitors of free radical protective enzymes, such as potassium cyanide, dicoumarol, and aminotriazole. After 60 min incubation in 1 mM NBT, staining was observed in photoreceptors, in some cells in the inner nuclear and ganglion cell layers, and in glial cells. Staining also appeared in the plexiform layers and occasionally in small blood vessels. Addition of superoxide dismutase caused a decreased staining of the inner parts of the retina. The inhibitors of free radical scavengers caused a dose-dependent increase in staining of the inner parts of the retina and, at high concentrations of potassium cyanide, of the photoreceptors. Thus, NBT seems indeed to be useful in morphological studies of free radicals in the retina.}},
  author       = {{Zhang, Hui and Agardh, Elisabet and Agardh, Carl-David}},
  issn         = {{1435-702X}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{3}},
  pages        = {{178--183}},
  publisher    = {{Springer}},
  series       = {{Graefe's Archive for Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology}},
  title        = {{Nitro blue tetrazolium staining: a morphological demonstration of superoxide in the rat retina}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00920944}},
  doi          = {{10.1007/BF00920944}},
  volume       = {{231}},
  year         = {{1993}},
}