Q. What are the main stains used in histopathology?
Doctor Answer is medically reviewed by SecondMedic medical review team.
In histopathology, various stains are used to highlight specific structures or components within tissues, making them visible under a microscope. Some of the main stains used include:
1. Hematoxylin and Eosin (H&E):
- Hematoxylin stains cell nuclei blue-purple, while eosin stains cytoplasm and extracellular structures pink. H&E staining is the most widely used and provides overall tissue morphology.
2. Periodic Acid-Schiff (PAS):
- Used to highlight carbohydrates, glycogen, and mucin. It stains these substances magenta.
3. Giemsa Stain:
- Useful for staining blood cells, microorganisms (such as bacteria and parasites), and certain cellular inclusions. It produces a range of colors, including blue, purple, and pink.
4. Trichrome Stains:
- Includes variations like Masson's trichrome and Gomori trichrome, which are used to differentiate collagen fibers (blue or green), muscle fibers (red), and other structures in tissues.
5. Silver Stains:
- Examples include the silver impregnation technique and Warthin-Starry stain, used to visualize structures like reticular fibers and microorganisms (e.g., spirochetes).
6. Immunohistochemistry (IHC):
- Involves the use of antibodies labeled with a visible marker (e.g., enzymes or fluorescent dyes) to detect specific proteins in tissues. IHC is crucial for identifying cellular markers and diagnosing certain diseases, including cancer.
7. Elastic Stains:
- Such as Verhoeff's stain, which highlights elastic fibers in tissues.
8. Alcian Blue:
- Stains acidic polysaccharides, commonly used to highlight mucin in tissues.
9. Wright-Giemsa Stain:
- Used for blood smears, bone marrow aspirates, and cytopathology, providing differentiation of blood cell types.
10. Van Gieson's Stain:
- Differentiates collagen (red) from other tissue components (yellow to orange).
11. Congo Red:
- Stains amyloid deposits in tissues, producing characteristic apple-green birefringence under polarized light.
12. Oil Red O:
- Stains lipids and is often used to identify fat deposits in tissues.
13. Methenamine Silver Stain:
- Used to visualize fungal elements and structures in tissues.
14. Fontana-Masson Stain:
- Stains melanin, useful in dermatopathology.
15. Cresyl Violet:
- Used for staining nerve cells and highlighting neuronal structures.
The choice of stain depends on the specific tissue or cellular components of interest and the diagnostic purpose of the examination.
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