Periodic Acid

Periodic acid is a compound used to stain the cytoplasm of cells found in the tubular pattern, mucus, and apical surfaces of cells of various lumen and glycoproteins on SDS-PAGE gels. In addition to staining purposes, periodic acid can be used in oxidation reactions converting sulfides into sulfones, catalyzed by chromium(VI) oxide and oxidation reactions converting alcohols to aldehydes and ketones. Periodic acid can also react with the 1,2 glycol linkage of carbohydrates forming aldehydes in tissue sections which can be colored with Schiff bases, thus allowing for the staining of these tissues. Furthermore, studies show that periodic acid is not effective in staining cancer cells in solid nests, which are better stained using Grimelius silver stain.