Dear Kristie:

Cresyl violet - Cresyl echt violet -  Cresyl violet Acetate....according to Conn's Biological Stains 10th Ed, (HOROBIN-KIERNAN,2002), p. 281: Cationic, oxazine dye. Synonyms: cresyl violet Acetate, oxazine 9. Cresyl violet Acetate: C18 H15 N3 O3;  FW 321;   C.V. perchlorate:  C16 H12 CIN3 O5; FW 362;

I would not recommend your < self making the dye > ("to make Cresyl Violet/Nissl in the lab")   or did I misunderstand your request and you only want to prepare / mix the cresyl violet staining solution according to e.g. Bancroft &Cook 1994, Kiernan 1999, or Churukian, 2000) - or - Cresyl violet for fluorescent Nissl staining by Alvarez-Buylla et al, 1990.

Since only a really small amount of dye is needed (e.g. for the variant found in BANCROFT & GAMBLE's Theory and Practice of Histological Techniques (p. 367, 6th Ed., 2008 it is 0.5% solution) you might be able to afford a small amount of the / a certified dye , which, as of recommendation of the Biological Staining Commission should have a minimum dye content of 65%. If you need the recipe in/from BANCROFT & GAMBLE's Theory and Practice of Histological Techniques (p. 367, the recipe is given without reference), please let me know or send your e-mail-address to my private mail-address: [email protected] and I shall share.

NB: Addressing your EDIT-note:  Naturally any intravital stain like methylene blue might be working if it comes to "  to determine location of implanted electrode"....it is only the "HOW to proceed" to get sufficient and "puncture(d)" dye localisation at the electrodes tip.

Best wishes and regards, WM

I wonder too if there meanwhile has been any progress with regard to the initial question matter...it would not only be of benefit for those who perhaps were seeking a / looking for an answer to this post, I unintentionally came across after long time passed - only due to an other request to my private e-mail-address.

But most fortunately I wish that the problem has been solved meanwhile to the satisfaction of Kristie Leigh Smith .