How Does Rational Design Improve Staining Techniques?

Staining is a fundamental technique in histology used to enhance contrast in tissue samples. Rational design improves staining by selecting or designing stains that bind selectively to specific cellular components. For instance, hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining, a commonly used technique, was developed to differentiate between nuclear and cytoplasmic structures. Rational design can also involve creating new stains or modifying existing ones to target unique markers or to work in tandem with advanced imaging technologies.