Alkaline bismuth stain as a tracer for Golgi vesicles of plant cells

An alkaline solution of bismuth subnitrate reacts well with carbohydrate-rich components of Golgi bodies in sections prepared from plant leaves fixed with glutaraldehyde and osmium tetroxide and embedded in Epon. The metal deposits formed are so fine that the stain is appropriate to ultrastructural observation at high magnification. The Golgi vesicles show polarity with respect to the localization of the reactive deposits. Golgi vesicles that had migrated farther from the Golgi cisternae showed greater reactive deposits and higher membrane contrast than those close to the Golgi cisternae. These results indicate that the alkaline bismuth stain is an excellent tracer for Golgi bodies of plant cells.