Special Stains

Listed below are a number of special stains performed on a regular basis which highlight certain structures or cells within a tissue. Below is a selected list, however many more are available; please contact us if you don’t see what you are looking for.

Alcian Blue Glycosaminoglycans Polysaccharides stain blue Nuclei stain red	Click to enlarge
Astra Blue – Vital New Red Mast cells, eosinophils Mast cells stain blue, eosinophils stain red
Chloroacetate Esterase Esterase activity in mast cells Esterase activity stain red / pink Nuclei stain blue
Congo Red Amyloid Eosinophils and elastin stain brick red Nuclei stain blue Other tissue elements stain clear / pale pink
Giemsa Blood cells and parasites Nuclei stain blue / purple Acidophils stain pink / red Basophils stain blue Eosinophils stain red / orange Mast cells stain purple (granules) Parasites stain blue / dark blue	Click to enlarge
Goldner’s Trichrome Osteoid Mineralized bone stain green Osteoid stain orange / red Cartilage stain purple Nuclei stain blue	Click to enlarge
Masson’s Trichrome Connective tissue Collagen fibers stain blue Nuclei stain black Cytoplasm Keratin Muscle fibers Intracellular fibers stain red	Click to enlarge
Movat Pentachrome Elastic fibres, mucin, and collagen Elastic fibres stain purple / black Muscle stains red Collagen and bone stains yellow Mucicarmine stain Ground substance stains blue / green Cytoplasm stains pink / brown Nuclei stains dark purple / black	Click to enlarge
Myosin ATPase 4.2, 4.6, 9.4 Muscle fibre types Muscle fibre type 1, 2A, 2B, and 2C demonstrated in varying shades of grey to black
Oil-Red-O Fats Lipids stain bright red nuclei stain blue
PAS Carbohydrates, glycogen, mucin, glycoprotein, and some basement membranes stains magenta Nuclei stain blue	Click to enlarge
Phloroglucinal stain Plant stain Lignin in plant cell wall stain red	Click to enlarge
Picrosirius red Collagen Collagen stain red Nuclei stain grey / black Other tissue elements stain pale yellow	Click to enlarge
Silver Stain Neurons, glial cells, and reticular fibers Stain dark silver	Click to enlarge
Toluidine Blue Mast cells Stains red Other tissue elements stain varying shades of blue
TUNEL Cellular apoptosis Apoptotic cells stain brown / black Nuclei stain light blue
Verhoeff’s Van Gieson Connective tissue Elastic fibers and nuclei stain black Collagen stains red Other tissue elements stain yellow	Click to enlarge
Wright’s Stain Blood film Erythrocytes stain yellow / red Polymorphonuclear neutrophils’ cytoplasm stain pink / tan Eosinophils’ granules stain red / orange; basophils’ granules stain purple Lymphocytes’ cytoplasm stain sky blue Nuclei stain reddish purple

Special Stains

Alcian Blue

Glycosaminoglycans

Astra Blue – Vital New Red

Mast cells, eosinophils

Chloroacetate Esterase

Esterase activity in mast cells

Congo Red

Amyloid

Giemsa

Blood cells and parasites

Goldner’s Trichrome

Osteoid

Masson’s Trichrome

Connective tissue

Movat Pentachrome

Elastic fibres, mucin, and collagen

Myosin ATPase 4.2, 4.6, 9.4

Muscle fibre types

Oil-Red-O

Fats

PAS

Carbohydrates, glycogen, mucin, glycoprotein, and some basement membranes

Phloroglucinal stain

Plant stain

Picrosirius red

Collagen

Silver Stain

Neurons, glial cells, and reticular fibers

Toluidine Blue

Mast cells

TUNEL

Cellular apoptosis

Verhoeff’s Van Gieson

Connective tissue

Wright’s Stain

Blood film