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CHAPTER 9 - CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM
Histology Guide
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MICROSCOPE SLIDE

SLIDE NAME
MH 058a Heart
TISSUE
Heart
STAIN
Periodic acid - Schiff (PAS) Stain
IMAGE SIZE
39,360 x 56,883 pixels
8.3 GB
FILE SIZE
1.99 GB
OBJECTIVE
40x
PIXEL SIZE
0.3171 µm
SOURCE
Department of Genetics, Cell Biology, and Development
School of Medicine
University of Minnesota
Minneapolis, MN

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University of Minnesota
Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Development
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321 Church St SE
Minneapolis, MN 55455

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MH 058a Heart

Purkinje Fibers
(Periodic Acid - Schiff Stain)

Periodic Acid-Schiff (PAS) staining uses periodic acid to oxidize carbohydrate molecules, followed by reaction with Schiff's reagent to produce magenta-colored deposits where glycogen and other carbohydrates are present. This makes it ideal for identifying Purkinje fibers, which have a higher content of glycogen than normal cardiac muscle cells.

This section of the ventricular wall shows the classic three-layered cardiac architecture: (on the right side), the , and the (on the left side).

  • Purkinje Fibers:
    • Location (,,): Strongly PAS-positive (dark magenta/deep pink), beneath the endocardium
    • : Larger diameter than ordinary cardiac muscle cells
    • : Markedly elevated glycogen content
      • Provide readily available energy for electrical conduction
    • : Lower content reflects their specialized role in conduction rather than contraction
  • Normal Cardiac Myocytes:
    • : Smaller diameter than Purkinje cells
    • : Weakly PAS-positive (pale pink) due to minimal glycogen stores
    • : Fill the cytoplasm, reflecting their contractile function
  • Cardiac Skeleton:
    • : Often contains fibrocartilage, especially with aging
    • : Strongly PAS-positive due to high glycogen content
      • Rely heavily on anaerobic glycolysis for ATP production
    • : Proteoglycans and glycosaminoglycans are moderately PAS-positive
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