The effect of double-strength standard saline citrate on silver staining. I. Nucleoli and micronucleoli in the somatic and germ line of the grasshopper Arcyptera fusca (Orthoptera)

The nucleolar activity in cells from both somatic and germ line of the grasshopper Arcyptera fusca has been analyzed by means of silver staining using a standard technique with and without a previous treatment of the slides with double-strength standard saline citrate (2 × SSC). Results show that the treatment with 2 × SSC improves the silver staining of the main nucleoli and in some tissues reliably uncovers other sites along the chromosomes with attached silver precipitates (micronucleoli). The parallel origin of the main nucleoli and the micronucleoli, the possible enlargement of rDNA activity in some tissues, and the ability of the silver nitrate to stain certain nucleolar proteins are discussed.Key words: Arcyptera, Orthoptera, nucleolus, micronucleus, silver staining.