Common stains Flashcards
1
Q
What does H&E stain?
A
- General morphology
- Nuclei (blue/black)
- Else (red/pink)
- 70% of diagnostic reports
- Often followed by a ‘special stain’
- Works by chemical attraction, charges on dye/tissue attracted
2
Q
What are trichrome dyes used for?
A
- Differentiating muscle/collagen
- Give different colours
- Three acid dyes used
3
Q
What is Van Gieson’s stain used for?
A
- Two acid dyes, single solution
- Differentiates muscle from collagen (yellow/red)
- Identifies bile (green)
4
Q
What is the Masson Trichrome stain used for?
A
- Detection of collagen fibres in tissue
- Collagen stained blue, nuclei black, background red
- Use 2 dyed to replace eosin
5
Q
What is Martius Scarlet Blue stain used for?
A
- 3 dyes replace eosin
- Fibrin/collagen staining
- Especially older fibrin deposits
6
Q
What is silver impregnation used for?
A
- To enhance contrast in tissue
- NOT a dye
- Black, fine deposits of silver atoms
7
Q
How are neuroendocrine cells shown?
A
- Argyrophil reaction
- Silver impregnation (no necessary counterstains)
- Light brown/black
8
Q
What is von Kossa stain used for?
A
- Silver impregnation on (unde?)calcified bone tissue
- Not specific to just calcium
- Allows to identify abnormal calcium deposits
- Uses UV light to reduce silver nitrate
9
Q
How is amyloid stained?
A
- Congo red
- Allows dichroism with polarised light (apple green birefringence seen)
10
Q
How are carbohydrates stained?
A
Periodic Acid Schiff
11
Q
How are mucins stained?
A
Alcian blue (for acid mucins) and PAS staining (for all mucins, prevented by alcian)
So acidic mucins left blue
12
Q
How are neutral lipids dyed?
A
Oil red O, Sudan dyes
Require aqueous mountant or will dissolve
