Staining of Lipids

Lipids

refers to all fat and fat like, or fat containing substances

These are triglycerides, fatty acids, lipoproteins and glycolipids.

are generally classified into simple lipids, compound lipids and derived lipids.

They are all soluble in organic solvents but insoluble in water

Simple Lipids

are esters of fatty acids with alcohol usually found in the body as energy stores in adipose tissues.

Stainable by Sudan Black, Sudan IV and Oil Red O

Compound Lipids

consist of a fatty acid, an alcohol and one or more other groups like phosphorus or nitrogen.

Generally found in the CNS

Phospholipids

component of cellular membranes readily stained by Sudan Black B and acid hematin

Glycolipids

possess characteristics of both lipids and carbohydrates and are therefore stained by Sudan Black B and PAS technique

Derived Lipid

fatty acids that are derived from hydrolysis of simple or compound lipids. i.e. are cholesterol, bile acids, sex hormones, and adrenocortical hormones

Sudan Black

Lipids (blue black)

Sudan IV (Scharlach R)

Lipids mainly triglyceride (red)

Oil Red O method in Dextrin

For fats (brilliant red)

Osmic Acid Stain

Not a dye but is an unstable oxide, used as fixative for EM and in histochemistry

Osmic Acid Stain

For unsaturated fatty acids

Nile Blue Sulfate Method

For demonstration of neutral fats

Cholestrin esters and cholestrin fatty acids

Cerebrosides and fatty acids and soap

Toluidine Blue Acetone Method

Demonstration of sulfatide deposits

Borohydride Periodic Schiff

For demonstration of gangliosides

Gangliosides

the only glycolipid that contain sialic acids, In Tay Sach’s disease gangliosides are present within neurons