Summary BHCS2004 - Cell Biology in Health and Disease - Identification of Stains

Identification of Stains



Haematoxylin and Eosin

 Haematoxylin stains nuclei blue

 Eosin stains proteins and cytoplasm pink



Van Gieson

 Used to highlight the difference between collagen and other connective tissue

 Collagen stains red

 Other tissue stains yellow



Toluidine Blue

 For staining of acidic tissues

 Nucleic acids stain blue

 Mucins and cartilage become purple



Alcian Blue

 Acid mucins stain blue

 Nuclei stain pink



Giemsa

 Stains human cells purple

o Nuclei are stained purple

o Cytoplasm stained blue to pale pink

 Stains bacterial cells pink



Reticulin

 Employs the use of silver impregnation

 Used to assess histopathology of the liver

 Fibres are stained black

 Pink background

,  Nuclei can be counterstained red



Orcein

 Used to identify inclusion bodies of viruses

 Inclusion bodies are stained dark brown-purple



Sudan Black

 Used to identify lipids and lipofuscins

 Stains lipofuscins black



Masson’s Trichrome

 Used to differentiate muscle, collagen fibres, fibrin and erythrocytes in connective tissue

 Nuclei stains blackish blue

 Muscle and fibrin stain red

 Collagen stains green



Mallory’s Trichrome

 Stain shows the difference between collagen and muscle fibres

 Nuclei and muscle cells stain red

 Collagen stains blue

 Erythrocytes stain orange



PAS

 PAS stains glycogen to look at membranes and mucosubstances

 Nuclei stain blue

 Glycogen and fungi stain magenta



Gomori’s Aldehyde Fuchsin Stain

 Used to stain elastic fibres and the pancreas

 Elastic fibres stain bluish purple