Histology: Stains and Cell Ultrastructure Flashcards
(105 cards)
Define: Histology
The study of functional tissue
aka Microanatomy
Nomarski (DIC)
pseudo 3D organelles
not used much with tissues
Giemsa Staining
common in research labs
uses eosin and methylene blue to stain cells
What is the most common stain?
Hematoxylin (blue-purple) and Eosin (orange-pink)
(H&E)
Basophilic structures
- Stain with hematoxylin
- ribosomes, nucleic acids, nucleus, rough er
- Basophilic = Blue
Eosinophilic Structures
Acidophilic
stain with Eosin (orange/pink)
mitochondria, lysosomes, cytoplasm
What is normally lost during fixation?
Lipids/Carbohydrates
Ground substance (water, salt)
What are tissues normally processed in?
formaldehyde → it crosslinks proteins
How do you visualize cells in an H&E Stain?
Cytoplasm → pink
nucleus → purple
empty space → where glycogen and other carbohydrates were lost
Cresyl Violet (RNA)
Stains neurons, rough ER, and polysomes really well
Periodic Acid Schiff (PAS)
Stains carbohydrates (basement membrane, mucus) (magenta)
Schiffs reagent stains nuclei (DNA)
counterstain with Fast Green FCF (cytoplasm, collagen)
How does PAS work?
Periodic Acid or its sodium salt oxidizes glycols to aldehydes, which are made visible by exposure to Schiff’s Reagent
What is Schiff’ Reagent made from?
Basic Fuchsine and thionyl chloride
stains nuclei
What is the counterstain for PAS?
Fast Green FCF (stains cytoplasm and collagen)
What does PAS stain?
Carbohydrates (basement membrane, mucus)
Congo Red
Direct cotton dye
hydrogen binding to carbohydrates
elongated hydrophobic structure will bind amyloid fibrils under specific conditions (High pH, rinse with ethanol)
How does Congo Red stain work?
Hydrogen Binding to carbohydrates
Elongated hydrophobic structure will bind amyloid fibrils under specific conditions
What does Congo Red stain?
Amyloid deposits (shown in polarized light (green))
protein carbohydrates
What is a unique feature of Congo Red Stain?
unique feature of amyloid binding: dichroism
Reddish staining in bright-field
Bright Apple Green birefringence under polarized light (glows) → shows amyloid deposits
Where is Congo Red Staining mostly used?
Pathology
Alcian Blue
stains acid mucosubstances
does not usually stain nuclei or RNA
use pink or red counterstain (PAS is compatible)
different pHs stain dif things
What does Alcian Blue stain?
acid mucosubstances
What does Alcian Blue usually NOT stain?
Nuclei or RNA
What happens to a cell with Alcian Blue staining at pH = 2.5?`
all acid mucosubstances stain