STAINING, PRACTICAL AND THEORETICAL 



HAEMALUM - EOSIN 

 For demonstrating collagenous tissue 



Solutions required: 



A. Haemalum (Mayer). 



B. Eosin, bluish o-2% in 20% alcohol. 



Technique: 



1. Paraffin sections are fixed to slides, dewaxed and taken 

 through descending grades of alcohol to distilled water in the 

 usual manner. 



2. Stain for five to ten minutes with the haemalum solution, 

 examining under the microscope at intervals until a satisfactory 

 degree of staining has been achieved. 



3. Rinse for a few seconds in tap water. 



4. Stain for one or two seconds with the eosin solution. 



5. Rinse for a few minutes in running tap water. 



6. Pass through 70%, 90% and absolute, alcohol. 



7. Clear in xylol and mount. 



Results: 



Collagen: deep pink. Smooth muscle: pink. Cytoplasm: pale 

 pink. Nuclei: blue. 



Reference: Kornhauser, S. L (1930). 



HAEMATEIN ACID 



(J. R. Baker) 



For phospholipids 



Solutions required: 



A. Formol calcium fixative 



Formalin (40% formaldehyde) . . 10 ml. 

 Calcium chloride, anhydrous, 1% 



aqueous . . . . . . 10 ml. 



Distilled water . . . . . . 80 ml. 



Keep a few chips of marble in the stock bottle to 

 maintain neutrality. 



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