Thanks Debra for your negative stain protocol with Uranyless (non-radioactive lanthanide based). Did you do a stain intensity comparison to uranyl acetate (e.g. 2% Uac aqueous solution) and observed any decrease in negative stain intensity surrounding viral/microorganism particles? Any difference in stain precipitate between the two stains? Could you share images ?
I've tried 2.5% gadolinium triacetate and UAR-EMS for negative staining with similar results yet with slightly lower stain intensity compared to 2% Uac for AAV samples.
Some negative stain procedures have rinse steps between the sample suspension application/absorption and stain. Which could be sample type & suspension concentration related.
Philip Seifert, HTL(ASCP)
Core Manager & EM Specialist
Morphology Core
Schepens Eye Research Institute of Mass Eye and Ear
Boston, MA 02114