Special Stains

Used to detect acid-fast organisms such as Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Stains acidic mucins, often used to identify mucopolysaccharides in tissues.

Used to identify amyloid deposits, which exhibit apple-green birefringence under polarized light.

Highlights elastic fibers in connective tissues and blood vessels.

Used to detect Helicobacter pylori, parasites, and mast cells in tissue sections.

Highlights fungi and certain basement membranes in tissues.

Detects ferric iron deposits, often used in liver and bone marrow biopsies.

Differentiates muscle, collagen, and fibrin; commonly used in liver and kidney biopsies.

Stains epithelial mucins, useful in identifying adenocarcinomas and fungal organisms like Cryptococcus.

Stains lipids in frozen sections; useful for detecting fat emboli or fatty liver changes.

Stains glycogen, mucopolysaccharides, and fungal organisms in tissues.

Stains glycogen, mucopolysaccharides, and fungal organisms in tissues.

Highlights reticulin fibers, useful in evaluating liver and bone marrow architecture.

Another method for identifying acid-fast organisms such as Mycobacteria.