This article describes a method for visualizing neurofibrillary tangles in brain sections from a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease. The process involves chemical fixation, oxidation, and silver staining to highlight tau protein aggregates.
Take chemically fixed brain sections obtained from a female mouse model of Alzheimer's disease.
These sections contain neurofibrillary tangles—abnormal aggregates of tau protein found within hippocampal neurons.
Wash the sections with buffer, followed by deionized water.
Treat with periodic acid to oxidize glycosyl groups associated with the aggregates, forming aldehyde groups.
Wash with deionized water and add an alkaline silver iodide solution. The silver ions form complexes with the aldehydes, creating nucleation sites.
Wash with a dilute weak acid to remove unbound silver and neutralize the pH.
Rinse with deionized water.
Add a chilled developer solution containing a reducing agent to convert silver ions into metallic silver, producing a pale brown color.
Rinse with a dilute weak acid to stop the development.
Mount the sections, dehydrate them using increasing alcohol concentrations, and apply a mounting medium.
Seal the sections with a coverslip.
Using a light microscope, visualize the neurofibrillary tangles.
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