Health Dictionary
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Methyl blue
Introduction
Methyl blue, also known as Cotton blue, Helvetia blue, Acid blue 93, or C.I. 42780, is a chemical compound with the molecular formula C37H27N3Na2O9S3. It is used as a stain in histology. Methyl blue stains collagen blue in tissue sections. It is soluble in water and slightly soluble in ethanol. It can be used in the Mallory’s connective tissue stain and Gomori’s one-step trichrome stain. It is used in differential staining. It can also be used to mediate electron transfer in microbial fuel cells.
Methyl blue is also available in mixture with water blue, under name Aniline Blue WS, Aniline blue, China blue, or Soluble blue.
Methyl blue should not be confused with methyl violet or methylene blue, two other stains.
Methyl blue is also used to treat thallium poisoning. It binds to the thallium. ==External links==