Various stains are used to differentiate cellular and extracellular components:
Hematoxylin and Eosin (H&E): The most common stain, hematoxylin stains nuclei blue-purple, and eosin stains cytoplasm and extracellular matrix pink. Periodic Acid-Schiff (PAS): Stains carbohydrates and mucopolysaccharides in tissues. Masson's Trichrome: Differentiates between muscle, collagen, and fibrin in tissues. Immunohistochemistry (IHC): Uses antibodies to detect specific antigens within tissue sections.
