Without digestion, acid mucins stain which color?

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Multiple Choice

Without digestion, acid mucins stain which color?

Explanation:
Acid mucins are negatively charged because of sulfate and carboxyl groups. In histochemical staining, Alcian Blue binds to those negative charges and stains these mucins blue, especially when the tissue is not digested (so those acid groups remain intact). This results in a deep blue color for acidic mucins. Neutral mucins, which lack those charged groups, do not take up Alcian Blue and are seen with other stains (often magenta with PAS). So the color you’d expect for acid mucins without digestion is deep blue.

Acid mucins are negatively charged because of sulfate and carboxyl groups. In histochemical staining, Alcian Blue binds to those negative charges and stains these mucins blue, especially when the tissue is not digested (so those acid groups remain intact). This results in a deep blue color for acidic mucins. Neutral mucins, which lack those charged groups, do not take up Alcian Blue and are seen with other stains (often magenta with PAS). So the color you’d expect for acid mucins without digestion is deep blue.

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