HISTOLOGY FOR CSMLS EXAM
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
3 types of Carbohydrates demonstrated in tissues - Correct Answers -Glycoproteins,
polysaccharides, proteoglycans
What stain is used for glycogen? - Correct Answers -PAS - because glycogen has vicin
diols
Where is glycogen found in the body? - Correct Answers -Liver, skeletel and cardiac
muscle, hair follicles, vaginal and ectocervical epithelium, mesothelium cells, neutrophils
and megakaryocytes.
What accounts for the staining reaction of Glycoproteins? - Correct Answers -sialic acid
goups and vicin diols (PAS), also contains carboxyl acid group (Alcian Blue).
Where are glycoproteins in the body? - Correct Answers -Most are associated with
epithelial tissues. They are classified as either neutral or acidic depending on whether
they contain a Sulphate or Carboxylate residues.
What do neutral glycoproteins lack? Where do you see them? - Correct Answers -They
lack bother Carboxylate (COOH) and Sulphate (SO3H). They are found in goblet cells in
the stomach as well as paneth cell granules in the small bowel.
Where are acidic glycoproteins that contain only COOH found in the body? - Correct
Answers -They can be found submaxillary gland, small intestine, fetal extracellular
matrix, upper part of colonic crypts, sublingual gland.
Where are acidic glycoproteins that contain both COOH and SO3H found in the body? -
Correct Answers -Mainly found in colonic goblet cells.
What are Proteoglycans (Glycosaminoglycans)? - Correct Answers -They are large,
unbranched carbohydrates with small poly peptide chains.
Where in the body can you find Proteoglycans? - Correct Answers -Connective tissues
such as cartilage, bone, tendons, ect. Referred to as acid or neutral mucins.
What compound reacts with Cationic dyes in a Carbohydrate? - Correct Answers -The
acid containing sugar (COOH or SO3H)
, What are the routine stains for Carbohydrates ? - Correct Answers -PAS, Alcian Blue
Muricarmine, Colloidal iron, Metachromasia, Lectins
2 main steps in PAS method? - Correct Answers -Oxidize carbohs with periodic acid to
create aldehydes.
Demonstrating the resulting aldehydes with Schiffs reagent.
Potential false PAS positives ? - Correct Answers -When glutaraldehyde is used as a
fixative, and only some lipids found in frozen sections.
What does Schiffs reagent do in PAS? - Correct Answers -It is attracted to an reacts
with aldehydes.
Some Proteoglycans contain vicin diols but do not stain with PAS, why ? - Correct
Answers -Because the periodate ion is repelled by the COO and SO3, therefore
oxidation does not occur and the aldehydes are not exposed.
How do you distinguish staining between glycogen and neutral glycoproteins ? - Correct
Answers -By using enzymes such as diastase or amylase which digest glycogen. The
remaining stain after treatment is therefor neutral glycoproteins.
What kind of dye stains acidic substances ? - Correct Answers -Cationic dyes.
What type of dye is Alcian blue? - Correct Answers -Cationic
What are the 2 types of Alcian blue stain? - Correct Answers -pH of 1.0 and 2.5
What are the results of Alcian blue 2.5? - Correct Answers -Both sulfated and
carboxylated mucins are ionized and demonstrated.
What are the results of Alcian blue 1? - Correct Answers -Only sulfated mucins are
ionized and demonstrated.
What reagent is used for 'toning' in reticulin stains? - Correct Answers -Gold chloride,
turns the brown silver into a black stain.
What reagent removes unreduced silver and gold particles in the reticulin stain ? -
Correct Answers -Sodium Thiosulphate.
How do you neutralize silver solutions? - Correct Answers -With salt before discarded
as breakdown products are explosive.
What does Mucicarmine demonstrate? - Correct Answers -Not very specific but mostly
used for epithelial mucins (glycoprotiens). Also used for Cryptococcus neoformans
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
3 types of Carbohydrates demonstrated in tissues - Correct Answers -Glycoproteins,
polysaccharides, proteoglycans
What stain is used for glycogen? - Correct Answers -PAS - because glycogen has vicin
diols
Where is glycogen found in the body? - Correct Answers -Liver, skeletel and cardiac
muscle, hair follicles, vaginal and ectocervical epithelium, mesothelium cells, neutrophils
and megakaryocytes.
What accounts for the staining reaction of Glycoproteins? - Correct Answers -sialic acid
goups and vicin diols (PAS), also contains carboxyl acid group (Alcian Blue).
Where are glycoproteins in the body? - Correct Answers -Most are associated with
epithelial tissues. They are classified as either neutral or acidic depending on whether
they contain a Sulphate or Carboxylate residues.
What do neutral glycoproteins lack? Where do you see them? - Correct Answers -They
lack bother Carboxylate (COOH) and Sulphate (SO3H). They are found in goblet cells in
the stomach as well as paneth cell granules in the small bowel.
Where are acidic glycoproteins that contain only COOH found in the body? - Correct
Answers -They can be found submaxillary gland, small intestine, fetal extracellular
matrix, upper part of colonic crypts, sublingual gland.
Where are acidic glycoproteins that contain both COOH and SO3H found in the body? -
Correct Answers -Mainly found in colonic goblet cells.
What are Proteoglycans (Glycosaminoglycans)? - Correct Answers -They are large,
unbranched carbohydrates with small poly peptide chains.
Where in the body can you find Proteoglycans? - Correct Answers -Connective tissues
such as cartilage, bone, tendons, ect. Referred to as acid or neutral mucins.
What compound reacts with Cationic dyes in a Carbohydrate? - Correct Answers -The
acid containing sugar (COOH or SO3H)
, What are the routine stains for Carbohydrates ? - Correct Answers -PAS, Alcian Blue
Muricarmine, Colloidal iron, Metachromasia, Lectins
2 main steps in PAS method? - Correct Answers -Oxidize carbohs with periodic acid to
create aldehydes.
Demonstrating the resulting aldehydes with Schiffs reagent.
Potential false PAS positives ? - Correct Answers -When glutaraldehyde is used as a
fixative, and only some lipids found in frozen sections.
What does Schiffs reagent do in PAS? - Correct Answers -It is attracted to an reacts
with aldehydes.
Some Proteoglycans contain vicin diols but do not stain with PAS, why ? - Correct
Answers -Because the periodate ion is repelled by the COO and SO3, therefore
oxidation does not occur and the aldehydes are not exposed.
How do you distinguish staining between glycogen and neutral glycoproteins ? - Correct
Answers -By using enzymes such as diastase or amylase which digest glycogen. The
remaining stain after treatment is therefor neutral glycoproteins.
What kind of dye stains acidic substances ? - Correct Answers -Cationic dyes.
What type of dye is Alcian blue? - Correct Answers -Cationic
What are the 2 types of Alcian blue stain? - Correct Answers -pH of 1.0 and 2.5
What are the results of Alcian blue 2.5? - Correct Answers -Both sulfated and
carboxylated mucins are ionized and demonstrated.
What are the results of Alcian blue 1? - Correct Answers -Only sulfated mucins are
ionized and demonstrated.
What reagent is used for 'toning' in reticulin stains? - Correct Answers -Gold chloride,
turns the brown silver into a black stain.
What reagent removes unreduced silver and gold particles in the reticulin stain ? -
Correct Answers -Sodium Thiosulphate.
How do you neutralize silver solutions? - Correct Answers -With salt before discarded
as breakdown products are explosive.
What does Mucicarmine demonstrate? - Correct Answers -Not very specific but mostly
used for epithelial mucins (glycoprotiens). Also used for Cryptococcus neoformans
