The staining procedure varies depending on the technique used, but generally involves the following steps:
Fixation: The tissue or blood smear is fixed using a fixative like formalin to preserve the cellular structures. Staining: The fixed specimen is treated with the staining reagent. For example, in O-dianisidine staining, the specimen is incubated with the O-dianisidine reagent. Washing: Excess stain is washed off to reduce background staining. Mounting: The stained specimen is mounted on a slide for microscopic examination.
