MTC

Question 1

What are the 2 purposes of the MTC stain?

Answer 1

To differentiate acidophilic tissue components (RBC, Muscle, Collagen fibers, and fibrin)
To use as a screening tool for assessing changes in the microarchitecture associated with tissue pathology - presence and density fibrosis (early fibrosis vs end-stage disease)

Question 2

What is the classification of the MTC stain?

Answer 2

Connective tissue stain

Question 3

What is the target tissue component of MTC?

Answer 3

Acidophilic tissues

Question 4

What is the staining principle of MTC?

Answer 4

Porosity and ionic bonding

Question 5

What positive controls can you use for MTC?

Answer 5

Every tissue has an internal control (but you can use uterus, small intestine, appendix, or fallopian tube)

Question 6

What is the name of the stain that uses two anionic dyes (negative charge in solution), applied individually or in combination, along with phosphomolybdic acid (PMA) or phosphotungstic acid (PTA)?

Answer 6

MTC

Question 7

Explain what happens with the MTC dyes when applying them in sequential application

Answer 7

First, the small dye molecules will go to all the cationic binding sites. After rinsing, dye molecules will leave the more porous tissue components. PTA or PMA will then displace those small dye molecules in the more porous tissue components, and then the subsequent larger dye molecule displaces PTA or PMA.