Special Stains - Nervous tissues and lipids

Nissl bodies

Toluidine blue, Methylene blue, Thionine

Toluidine blue, Methylene blue composition

toluidine blue

Deep blue result

Toluidine blue, Methylene blue

Thionine composition

0.5% thionine

Purple

Thionine

Bielschowsky composition

20% silver nitrate

Ammoniacal silver

Neurons, Axons, Dendrites, Neurofibrils, Plaque neurites and tangles

Bielschowsky

Black

Bg: yellow to brown

Bielschowsky

Cajal’s composition

Gold sublimate

Astrocytes

Cajal’s

Black

Bg: Brown

Cajal’s

Stains Myelin sheath black

Osmium tetroxide, Sudan black,

Stains Myelin sheath Blue black/ Dark blue

Weigert-pal

Lipid that Stains Myelin sheath Red/ Brilliant red

Oil red O

Weigert-Pal composition

Hematoxylin

Lithium carbonate

Potassium permanganate

Osmium tetroxide composition

Osmic acid

Picrocarmine composition

Carmine + Picric acid

Stains Neuropathological studies black

Picrocarmine, Osmic acid

Most sensitive lipid stain

Sudan black

Stains phospholipid Red

Sudan black

Most common lipid stain

Scharlach R

Scharlach R composition

Sudan IV

Stains Triglyceride (neutral lipid) Red

Scharlach R

Lorraine-Smith stain composition

Nile Blue sulfate

Lipids

Lorraine-Smith

TG: pink

Cholesterol esters and FA: light red

Lorraine-Smith