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Ruthenium red

Chemical compound / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The inorganic dye ammoniated ruthenium oxychloride, also known as ruthenium red, is used in histology to stain aldehyde fixed mucopolysaccharides.

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Ammoniated ruthenium oxychloride
Ruthenium_red_cation.svg
Identifiers
3D model (JSmol)
ChEMBL
ChemSpider
ECHA InfoCard 100.228.922 OOjs_UI_icon_edit-ltr-progressive.svg
UNII
  • InChI=1S/6ClH.14H3N.2H2O.3Ru/h6*1H;14*1H3;2*1H2;;;/q;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;+4;2*+5/p-6 Yes_check.svgY
    Key: CIBHIQPXTCXIRW-UHFFFAOYSA-H Yes_check.svgY
  • InChI=1/6ClH.14H3N.2H2O.3Ru/h6*1H;14*1H3;2*1H2;;;/q;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;+4;2*+5/p-6
    Key: CIBHIQPXTCXIRW-CYFPFDDLAK
  • [Ru+5].[Ru+5].[Ru+4].[Cl-].[Cl-].[Cl-].[Cl-].[Cl-].[Cl-].O.O.N.N.N.N.N.N.N.N.N.N.N.N.N.N
Properties
Cl6H42N14O2Ru3
Molar mass 786.34 g·mol−1
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).
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Ruthenium red (RR) has also been used as a pharmacological tool to study specific cellular mechanisms. Selectivity is a significant issue in such studies as RR is known to interact with many proteins.[1] These include mammalian ion channels (CatSper1, TASK, RyR1, RyR2, RyR3, TRPM6, TRPM8, TRPV1, TRPV2, TRPV3, TRPV4, TRPV5, TRPV6, TRPA1, mCa1, mCa2, CALHM1[2][3]) TRPP3,[4] a plant ion channel, Ca2+-ATPase, mitochondrial Ca2+ uniporter,[5] tubulin, myosin light-chain phosphatase, and Ca2+ binding proteins such as calmodulin. Ruthenium red displays nanomolar potency against several of its binding partners (e.g. TRPV4, ryanodine receptors,...). For example, it is a potent inhibitor of intracellular calcium release by ryanodine receptors (Kd ~20 nM).[6] As a TRPA1 blocker, it assists in reducing the airway inflammation caused by pepper spray.

RR has been used on plant material since 1890 for staining pectins, mucilages, and gums. RR is a stereoselective stain for pectic acid, insofar as the staining site occurs between each monomer unit and the next adjacent neighbor.[7]