Alcian blue dyes are copper phthalocyanines with a variety of cationic side chains; they are useful for staining carbohydrate polyanions while avoiding staining of nucleic acids. The properties of the original alcian blue and of similar dyes with published chemical structures are reviewed here. Variation among samples submitted to the Biological Stain Commission (BSC) for certification has led to the recognition of two types of commercially available alcian blue at this time. The designation “alcian blue 8G or equivalent” is reserved for dyes that resemble alcian blue 8GX manufactured in the 1960s (CI 74240; ingrain blue 1). These dyes react with alkali to form an insoluble pigment that cannot be re-dissolved in acid. The name “alcian blue variant” is for similar dyes that do not form insoluble pigments; an alkali-induced precipitate, if formed, re-dissolves with acidification. For certification by the BSC, both types of alcian blue must dissolve in 3% acetic acid to make a 1% solution (pH close to 2.5), which must provide selective coloration of intestinal mucus, cartilage and mast cells, but not of nuclei. After alcian blue staining and treatment with 0.03 M Na₂CO₃ or Li₂CO₃ to convert the bound dye to a pigment, the Feulgen stain for DNA is applied. Dyes to be certified as alcian blue 8G or the equivalent must resist extraction by the 5 M HCl used in the Feulgen reaction. Dyes to be certified as alcian blue variant are not required to be convertible to acid-insoluble pigments, but they must dissolve easily in water at pH 5.7 containing 0.5 M magnesium chloride and the dye must remain in solution for at least 24 h. A critical electrolyte concentration (CEC) staining test also is described; this must be passed for certification of an alcian blue variant. Successful CEC staining is also a desirable property of alcian blue 8G or equivalent, but not essential for certification of an otherwise satisfactory batch. The spectrophotometric criteria for alcian blue dyes also are revised; a wider range of absorption maximum (605–634 nm) is allowed. The dye powders used in published staining techniques with the original alcian blue 8G were 40–60% dye, but some modern alcian blue dyes have dye content as high as 90%. The BSC’s assay for dye content is not a criterion for certification, but it should influence the amount of dye to include in a staining solution.

阿尔辛蓝色染料是具有各种阳离子侧链的铜酞菁；它们可用于对碳水化合物聚阴离子染色，同时避免核酸染色。这里回顾了原始阿尔辛蓝和具有已公开化学结构的类似染料的性质。提交给生物染色委员会（BSC）进行认证的样品之间的差异，导致目前可以识别两种类型的商业蓝色。类似于“ 1960年代”制造的“ Alcian blue 8GX”（CI 74240； Iningrain blue 1）的名称保留为“ alcian blue 8G或同等品”。这些染料与碱反应形成不溶性颜料，该颜料无法重新溶于酸。名称“阿尔辛蓝变体”是指不会形成不溶性颜料的类似染料；碱诱导的沉淀物（如果形成）酸化后重新溶解。为了获得BSC的认证，两种类型的阿尔辛蓝都必须溶于3％的乙酸中以制成1％的溶液（pH值接近2.5），该溶液必须提供肠粘液，软骨和肥大细胞的选择性着色，但不能提供细胞核的着色。经过阿尔辛蓝染色并用0.03 M Na处理₂ CO ₃或Li ₂ CO ₃为了将结合的染料转化为颜料，可以使用DNA的Feulgen染色剂。获认证为阿尔辛蓝8G或类似物质的染料必须能够抵抗被Feulgen反应中使用的5 M HCl萃取。不需要被认证为阿尔辛蓝变体的染料可以转化为酸不溶性颜料，但它们必须在pH 5.7的水中容易溶解，该水中含有0.5 M氯化镁，并且染料必须在溶液中保留至少24 h。还描述了临界电解质浓度（CEC）染色测试；必须通过此认证才能获得阿尔辛蓝色变体的认证。成功的CEC染色也是Alcian blue 8G或类似产品的理想特性，但对于认证其他令人满意的批次而言并非必需。阿尔辛蓝染料的分光光度标准也已修订；允许更大范围的最大吸收（605–634 nm）。在已公开的染色技术中，使用原始阿尔辛蓝8G的染料粉末为40-60％的染料，但是某些现代的阿尔辛蓝染料的染料含量高达90％。BSC的染料含量测定法不是认证的标准，但应影响染色液中所含染料的量。