Toluidine Blue O (CAS 92-31-9)

Toluidine Blue O, with the CAS number 92-31-9, is a thiazine dye notable for its vibrant blue hue and ability to bind selectively to acidic tissue components, making it a valuable tool in biological staining. This chemical has a significant role in research areas, particularly in histology and microbiology, where it is used to stain mast cells, cartilage, and mucins due to its high affinity for acidic polysaccharides and sulfated molecules. The mechanism by which Toluidine Blue O operates involves the dye′s positive charge, which interacts electrostatically with negatively charged components within tissues, such as DNA and RNA, as well as glycosaminoglycans in the extracellular matrix. This interaction not only highlights specific structures within a sample but also allows for the detailed visualization of cellular and subcellular components under a microscope. Moreover, Toluidine Blue O has been employed in the field of materials science, where it is used in the characterization of polymer systems, particularly those containing sulfonic acid groups, to assess the distribution and density of these groups within the polymer matrix. This application underscores the versatility of Toluidine Blue O, extending its utility beyond biological applications into the realm of materials analysis, providing researchers with a robust tool for examining a wide range of chemical and biological samples.