Fluoro-Jade B stains all degenerating neurons regardless of specific insult or mechanism of cell death. The dye is highly resistant to fading and is compatible with virtually all histological processing and staining protocols.
- Stains all degenerating neurons regardless of specific insult or mechanism of cell death
- Exhibits the greatest signal to background ratio, as well as the highest resolution
- Maximal contrast and affinity for degenerating neurons
- Identifies degenerating nerve cell bodies, distal dendrites, axons and terminals
The causes and effects of neuronal degeneration are of major interest to a wide variety of neuroscientists. Paralleling this growing interest is an increasing number of methods applicable to the detection of neuronal degeneration. The fluorescent dye Fluoro-Jade® B (FJB), like its more purified brother Fluoro-Jade® C (FJC), is an anionic fluorescein derivative useful for the histological staining of neurons undergoing degeneration. Fluoro-Jade® B differs from FJC in that it is a slightly less refined chemical formulation and thus it does not quite provide the same level of signal to noise or high resolution as FJC. Nonetheless FJB is still widely used and works very well as a marker of degenerating neurons and even glia (see Damjanac M et al., Brain Res. 2007;1128(1):40-9). FJB operates nearly identically in protocol to that of FJC, and Fluoro-Jade® B is compatible with several other labeling procedures including immunofluorescent and fluorescent Nissl techniques Fluoro-Jade B stains all degenerating neurons regardless of specific insult or mechanism of cell death. Fluoro-Jade B exhibits the greatest signal to background ratio, as well as the highest resolution. This translates to a stain of maximal contrast and affinity for degenerating neurons. This makes it ideal for localising not only degenerating nerve cell bodies but also distal dendrites, axons and terminals. The dye is highly resistant to fading and is compatible with virtually all histological processing and staining protocols.
Following our detailed protocol, Fluoro-Jade B labels degenerating neurons which are visualised with blue light excitation, while DAPI (not included) counter stains cell nuclei, visualised with ultra-violet illumination. The Fluoro-Jade B dye can be used on all kinds of preserved tissues, including fresh-frozen, paraformaldehyde or formalin fixed, and formalin fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues.
FJB visualization is accomplished using blue light or a 488 nm Laser. Excitation Peak: 495 nm; Emission Peak: 521 nm; Filter system for visualizing: Fluorescein/FITC
Specificity: Degenerating neurons, and neuronal degeneration. There is no specific staining in normal healthy brain.
Cross reactivity: Some researchers under some conditions report blood vessel staining with Fluoro Jade. This may be because Fluoro Jade is an analogue of eosin (which stains blood cells). In general, good perfusion and preparation of the tissue should help prevent blood vessel staining but it may not be possible to eliminate it entirely. In our experience it is generally possible to distinguish neuronal from blood vessels staining by eye.
Delivery information: Materials supplied: 30 mg Fluoro-Jade B, dry powder and detailed protocol.
Caution: Details of reconstitution of the FJC and a full list of additional reagents and equipment required for use are detailed in the protocol.- see Related Documents.
