Special Staining Results
Microorganisms
Gram
- Gram-positive organisms—blue to blue-violet
- Gram negative organisms—red
- Background—yellow
Giemsa
- Bacteria—blue
- Nuclei—blue
- Cytoplasm—pale blue
- Rickettsias—reddish purple
- Erythrocytes—yellowish pink
Ziehl-Neelsen
- Acid-fast bacteria—bright red
- Other tissue elements—according to counterstain (blue or yellow)
Fites
- Atypical mycobacteria—bright red
- Other tissue elements—blue
Warthin Starry
- Bacteria (spirochetes, helicobacter)—black
- Background—pale yellow to tan
Steiner
- Bacteria (spirochetes, legionella)—black
- Background—pale yellow
Gimenez
- Chlamydia—red
- Background—green
PAS (Periodic Acid-Schiff's)
- Simple polysaccharides, neutral mucosubstances, basement membranes, mucolipids and fungus—magenta
- Background—according to counterstain
GMS (Grocott Methenamine-Silver)
- Fungi—sharply delineated in black
- Pneumocystis—black
- Mucin—dark gray to black
- Background—green
Connective Tissue
Wilder's Reticulum
- Reticulum fibers—black
- Background—pale pink
Gordon-Sweet
- Reticulin—black
- Background—according to counterstain
Masson's Trichrome
- Nuclei—black
- Cytoplasm, muscle, keratin—red
- Collagen—according to counterstain (blue or green)
Jones'
- Reticular fibers and basement membranes—black
- Other tissue elements—according to counterstain
PTAH
- Nuclei—blue
- Cytoplasm—blue
- Collagen—brown-pink
- Fibrin—blue
- Elastic fibers—purple
- Striated muscle fibers—blue
- Neuronal and glial cell processes—blue-purple
Verhoeff's Elastic
- Elastic fibers—black
- Nuclei—blue to black
- Collagen—red
- Other tissue elements—yellow
Minerals
Rhodanine
- Copper—red yellow
- Nuclei—light blue
Von Kossa
- Calcium deposits—black
- Background—pink
Perl's Iron (Prussian Blue)
- Iron deposits—brilliant blue
- Background—pink
Carbohydrates
PAS (Periodic Acid-Schiff's)
- Simple polysaccharides, neutral mucosubstances, basement membranes, mucolipids and fungus—magenta
- Background—according to counterstain
Alcian-Blue
- Sulfated mucosubstances—blue
- Background—according to counterstain
Congo Red
- Amyloid deposits—pink to red
- Note: Amyloid will show an apple-green birefringence when polarized
- Nuclei—blue
Nerve Tissue
Cresyl Echt Violet
- Nissl substance—blue
Bielschowsky's
- Axons—black
- Intracellular neurofibrils—black
PTAH
- Neuronal and glial cell processes—blue-purple
Luxol Fast Blue
- Myelin sheath—blue-green
- Background—according to counterstain
Miscellaneous
Osmium
- Lipid—black
OFG (Pituitary)
- Acidophils—orange-yellow
- Basophils—magenta-red
- Chromophobes—pale green
- RBS's—yellow
Churukian Schenk
- Argyrophil and argentaffin cells—black
- Nuclei—orange to red
- Background—light yellow
Toluidine Blue
- Mast cells—deep reddish purple
- Background—faint blue
