Histological stains (specialty)
The Hematoxylin and Eosin (H&E) method is the routine, recognized stain used within histology laboratories; however, many other special tinctorial stains are used on specific tissue or cellular components to aid diagnosis of toxicological or pathological changes.
Special Stain Method: | Specialized Stain for the demonstration of: |
|---|---|
Alcian Blue | Acid Mucins |
Alcian Blue PAS | Acid, Neutral and Combined Mucins |
Aldehyde Fuchsin (Gomori’s) | Lipofuscins |
Aldehyde Fuchsin (modified) | Pancreatic Islet Cells |
Alizarin Red | Calcium |
Carbol Chromotrope | Eosinophil Leucocytes |
Chromotrope Aniline Blue | Hyaline Droplets |
Congo Red | Amyloid |
Dunn-Thompson | Haemoglobin |
Ferric Hematoxylin | Phospholipids |
Feulgen | DNA |
Fluro Jade B (fluorescence) | Degenerating Neurones |
Fouchet’s | Bile Pigment |
Giemsa | Parasites |
Glees Marsland (Bielschowsky) | Central and Peripheral Nerves |
Goldner Trichrome | Mineralised and Osteoid Bone |
Gordon and Sweets | Reticulin |
Gram | Bacteria |
Gridley’s | Fungi |
Grimelius | Argyrophil Cells |
Grocott’s (Gomori) | Fungi and Basement Membranes |
Luxol Fast Blue and Cresyl Fast Violet | Myelin and Nissl substance |
Martius Scarlet Blue | Fibrin, Connective Tissue |
Masson Fontana | Melanin |
Masson’s Trichrome | Connective Tissue (Collagen) |
Methyl Green Pyronin | DNA and RNA |
Movat’s Pentachrome | Connective Tissue (Collagen) |
Nile Red (fluorescence) | Lipids |
Okajima | Haemoglobin |
Oil Red O | Lipid |
Periodic Acid Schiff (PAS) Diastase | Glycogen |
Periodic Acid Schiff (PAS) Orange G | Acidophil Cells |
Periodic Acid Schiff (PAS) | Periodate Carbohydrates, Basement Membranes |
Perl’s | Ferric Iron |
Perl’s Prussian Blue | Ferric Iron |
Phloxine Tartrazine | Viral Inclusion Bodies |
PTAH (Phosophotungstic acid-haematoxylin) | Muscle Striations |
Schmorl’s Ferricyanide | Lipofuscin |
Sirius Red | Amyloid and Eosinophils |
Solochrome Cyanin | Myelin |
Toluidine Blue | Mast Cells, Cartlidge Matrix, Acid Mucins |
Van Gieson (Picro-Fuchsin) | Connective Tissue |
Verhoeff Van Gieson | Elastic Fibres, Connective Tissue (Collagen) |
Von Kossa | Mineralised Bone and Osteoid |
Warthin-Starry | Spirochetes |
Ziehl-Neelsen | Lipofuscin and Ceroid |
Ziehl-Neelsen (modified) | Mycobacterium, TB, Leprae |
