What color do nuclei appear when stained with Alcian blue 2.5?

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Multiple Choice

What color do nuclei appear when stained with Alcian blue 2.5?

Explanation:
Alcian blue at pH 2.5 specifically binds to acidic mucopolysaccharides and glycosaminoglycans, staining them blue. It does not color nuclei by itself, since DNA is not targeted by this dye. In routine practice, a counterstain such as hematoxylin is used to visualize nuclei, and hematoxylin colors nuclei blue to purple. So, the nuclei appear blue when Alcian blue is used in combination with a hematoxylin counterstain. If no counterstain is applied, the nuclei would not show blue from Alcian blue alone.

Alcian blue at pH 2.5 specifically binds to acidic mucopolysaccharides and glycosaminoglycans, staining them blue. It does not color nuclei by itself, since DNA is not targeted by this dye. In routine practice, a counterstain such as hematoxylin is used to visualize nuclei, and hematoxylin colors nuclei blue to purple. So, the nuclei appear blue when Alcian blue is used in combination with a hematoxylin counterstain. If no counterstain is applied, the nuclei would not show blue from Alcian blue alone.

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