List of stainings

Staining

Tissues

Results

AB

Alcian blue

Intestine

Acid mucins – blue

AB/ PAS

Alcian Blue & Periodic acid Schiff

Acid mucins – blue

Neutral mucins – magenta

AB/ VG

Alcian Blue & Van Gieson

Acid mucins – blue

Collagen – pink

Muscle and others – yellow

CR

Congo red

Amyloid, eosinophil & elastin – red

CV

Cresyl violet

Nervous system

Nuclei and nissl substance – purple

CV/

LB

Cresyl Violet/Luxol fast blue

Nervous system

Myelin – blue

Red blood cells – turquoise

Nuclei and nissl substance – purple

FM

Fontana Masson

Skin, brain

Melanin (also some lipofuscins) – black

G

Giemsa

Blood cells and parasites

Acidophils – pink/red

Basophils – blue

Eosinophils – red/orange

Mast cells – purple

Parasites – blue/dark blue

GC

Golgi Cox

Brain

Cortical neurons and processes

GMS

Grocott methenamine silver

Any tissue containing fungus

Fungi – black

Background – green

GT

Goldner trichrome

Skin

Nervous system

Cytoplasm, keratin, muscle fibres, intercellular fibres – red

Collagen, mucins – green

JMS

Jone’s methenamine silver

Kidney

Basement membrane of glomeruli – black

Background – green

MT

Masson trichrome

All tissues

Cytoplasm, keratin, muscle fibres, intercellular fibres – red

Collagen, mucins – blue

ORO

Oil red O

Cryosections of adipocytes

Lipids – bright red

PAS

Periodic acid Schiff

Intestine (goblet, paneth cells), mucous gland

Periodate carbohydrates – magenta

PB

Prussian blue

Ferric ion – blue

RF

Resorcin Fuchsine

Ealstic fibers – violet

Muscle and others – yellow

TB

Toluidine blue

Mast cell granules – red/purple

VG

Van Gieson

Collagen – pink

Muscle and others – yellow

VGRF

Van Gieson & Resorcin Fuchsin

Elastic fibers – blue/black

Collagen – pink/red

Muscle and others – yellow