What are Common Histological Stains and Their Uses?
Stains are vital in histology as they enhance the contrast of the tissue sections:
Hematoxylin and Eosin (H&E): The most common stain, hematoxylin stains nuclei blue, while eosin stains cytoplasm pink. Periodic Acid-Schiff (PAS): Used to highlight polysaccharides and mucosubstances, appearing magenta. Masson's Trichrome: Differentiates between muscle, collagen, and fibrin, with muscle fibers appearing red, collagen blue, and fibrin purple. Immunohistochemistry (IHC): Uses antibodies specific to antigens in the tissue to detect proteins, providing information on protein expression.
