STAINING, PRACTICAL AND THEORETICAL 



ELASTIN STAIN 

 (Weigert) 



Any fixative may be used except Susa, and tissues may be em- 

 bedded in paraffin wax or in Celloidin or in L.V.N. 



Preparation of the Staining Solution: 



Triturate i gm. of Weigert elastin stain and 5 gm. clean, dry 

 silver sand with 100 ml. absolute alcohol and 2 ml. pure hydro- 

 chloric acid until all the stain has gone into solution ; then filter. 



Note: The staining solution deteriorates after two or three 

 weeks. 



The nuclei may be stained with Orth's lithium carmine prior to 

 the following procedure if no other counterstain is desired. 



Technique: 



1 . Sections are brought down to 90% alcohol and stained one half 

 to twelve hours according to depth of staining desired. The slides 

 should be stained in a jar or in a Petri dish, sections face down- 

 wards, to prevent a deposit forming on the sections. 



2. Wash off excess stain with 95% alcohol, and if necessary 

 differentiate in acid alcohol for a few minutes. 



3. Wash quickly with 70% alcohol ; then thoroughly with water. 



4 Counterstain with Van Gieson, Ehrlich haematoxylin or 

 Safranin for about five minutes. 



5. Differentiate, if necessary, in 95% alcohol. 



6. Dehydrate ; clear in xylol and mount. 



Note: If Celloidin or L.V.N, sections are used clear in ori- 

 ganum oil or in terpineol after 95% alcohol. 



Results: 



Elastic fibres, dark blue or black. Nuclei, brilliant red (if Orth's 

 carmine is used) or bluish black (with haematoxylin). Collagen, 

 pink to red; other tissue elements, yellow (if Van Gieson is used). 



Reference: Weigert, C. (1898). 



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