[Methods of the selective demonstration of various structural elements of the vascular wall]

Selective topo-optical and impregnation technique for the demonstration of acid mucopolysaccharides, neutral polysaccharides, collagen, elastic fibres and membranes, smooth muscle cell i.e. structural elements of the vessel wall are described. These techniques are simple and reliable and may be used for the every-day pathohistological diagnostics. Their parallel application provides further possibilities for the study of the structure and various pathological alterations of the vessel wall. It should be stressed, that on the basis of the analysis of optical effects--birefringence, dichroism, metachromasia--these techniques provide opportunity to detect early structural lesions, which by the application of conventional techniques can not be detected.