Histology- Stains

Question 1

Ground disc

Answer 1

Thick slice

Question 2

Section

Answer 2

Thin slice

Question 3

Whole cells

Answer 3

Smears

Most tissue slices are thinner than a cell

Question 4

Haematoxylin and Eosin (H&E).

Answer 4

HAEMATOXYLIN (stains acidic things blue) & EOSIN (stains alkaline things pink) (H & E)

• Haematoxylin stains cell nuclei and RNA blue

• Eosin stains cytoplasm and colloidal proteins (e.g. plasma) pink and stains keratin orange/red

• Many extra-cellular fibres (e.g. collagen and elastic) also stain pink

• Watery extra-cellular jelly and fat do not stain

Question 5

PAS (look at slide 11)

Answer 5

stain hexose sugars (especially those contained in complex carbohydrate containing structures including goblet cell mucins, cartilage matrix, glycogen, basement membranes and glycocalyx - magenta (dark pink)

Question 6

Van Gieson -

Answer 6

Elastic

Question 7

Trichrome

Answer 7

3 types of cell- connective tissues

Question 8

Alcian Blue

Answer 8

• Stain glycosaminoglycan (GAG) rich structures (found in all connective tissue and extracellular matrix)- blue

• Stain mucous goblet cells - blue

• Stain mast cell granules - blue

• Stain cartilage matrix - blue

Question 9

Small cells

Answer 9

lymphocytes about 10 micrometres in diameter, with very little cytoplasm

Question 10

Large cells

Answer 10

– motor neurons 100 micrometres wide with axons up to 1 meter in length

More metabolically active relative to smaller cells

Often have nucleoli

Question 11

Nerves

Answer 11

Brain

Peripheral

Visceral

Question 12

Germ cells

Answer 12

Ova

Sperm

Question 13

Iron haematoxylin

Answer 13

stains nuclei and elastic fibres - black

Question 14

Toluidine blue

Answer 14

• Stains nuclei, ribosomes, cytoplasm - dark blue

• cartilage matrix, mast cell granules - pale blue

• GAG - rich components - bright purple

• Small cells tend to be dormant whereas larger cells are active (due to mitosis etc.)