Histochemical Demonstration of Ketosteroids in the Adrenal Cortex

Abstract

VARIOUS attempts have been made to develop a histochemical method for demonstrating the presence of ketosteroids within the cells of the adrenal cortex^1–7. These have depended on the formation of coloured hydrazones of the ketosteroids. The low staining intensity of the hydrazones and the minute quantities of the ketosteroids present in the cells have rendered it difficult to locate with accuracy the chromogenic material except in relatively thick sections. Coloured compounds of much greater intensity can be produced if the aryl-hydrazones of the ketosteroids are coupled with diazonium salts. Any degree of solubility can be conferred on the final coupled compound by selecting the most suitable diazonium salt. This permits of the staining of blocks of fixed tissues, the use of paraffin embedding, counterstaining of the sections and clearing and mounting by the usual techniques.