Grocott - 1716

The Grocott kit is indicated for the visualization of fungal microorganisms in tissue sections.

The cell wall of most fungal microorganisms consists of polysaccharides and chitin. Periodic acid, used in the Grocott method, breaks the polysaccharide chains of the cell wall by oxidizing their ends to aldehyde groups. These aldehyde groups, in turn, reduce the silver chloride, part of the silver-methenamine complex, to metallic silver which stains black, becoming visible: therefore, the fungal cells will be black. The bottom is then counter-stained green for added contrast.