Common Stains in Tissue Preservation Flashcards
Bismarck Brown
colors acid mucins, a type of protein, yellow and may be used to stain live cells
Carmine
colors glycogen, or animal starch, red
Coomassie blue
stains proteins a brilliant blue, and is often used in gel electrophoresis
Crystal violet
stains cell walls purple when combined with a mordant. This stain is used in Gram staining
DAPI
a fluorescent nuclear stain that is excited by ultraviolet light, showing blue fluorescence when bound to DNA. DAPI can be used in living of fixed cells
Eosin
a counterstain to haematoxylin, this stain colours red blood cells, cytoplasmic material, cell membranes, and extracellular structures pink or red.
Ethidium bromide
this stain colours unhealthy cells in the final stages of apoptosis, or deliberate cell death, fluorescent red-orange.
Fuchsin
this stain is used to stain collagen, smooth muscle, or mitochondria.
Hematoxylin
a nuclear stain that, with a mordant, stains nuclei blue-violet or brown.
Hoechst stains
two types of fluorescent stains, 33258 and 33342, these are used to stain DNA in living cells.
Iodine
used as a starch indicator. When in solution, starch and iodine turn a dark blue color.
Malachite green
a blue-green counterstain to safranin in Gimenez staining for bacteria. This stain can also be used to stain spores.
Methylene blue
stains animal cells to make nuclei more visible.
Neutral/Toluylene red -
stains nuclei red and may be used on living cells.
Nile blue
stains nuclei blue and may be used on living cells. Nile blue is used for histological staining of biological preparations. It highlights the distinction between neutral lipids (triglycerides, cholesteryl esters, steroids) which are stained pink and acids (fatty acids, chromolipids, phospholipids) which are stained blue.
