Localization of malachite green positive lipids in the matrix of bone nodule formed in vitro.

An electron histochemical study was carried out on bone nodules formed in vitro in collagenase-released calvarial cells in order to visualize the lipid components of the extracellular matrix (EM). The malachite green aldehyde fixative technique, which allows both preservation and staining of some phospholipids of the extracellular matrix, was used. Controls were performed on sections demineralized, and then submitted to lipid extraction with a chloroformmethanol mixture (2/1 v/v) and to glycosaminoglycans digestion with 0.5% bovine testicular hyaluronidase to verify specificity for lipid staining. This allowed us to visualize the lipids (1) in the osteoid as granules associated to ribbon-like structures connected to the collagen fibers, (2) as electrondense deposits seen as dots on the outer surface membrane of the matrix vesicles, and (3) in the mineralized matrix as roundish patches formed of needle-shaped materials and at the mineralization front as individual ones. This study demonstrated that at the EM level, the lipids are present in the osteoid at locations very similar to what have been observed for the glycosaminoglycans, and in the mineralized matrix as components of the crystal ghosts.