[Histonet] silver stain on slide-mounted FFPE brain tissues

[Hugh Luk]

Dr. Dean,

Histotechs are familiar with brain degeneration "Silver Stains" on FFPE cut sections(slides).  Common silver stains include Bielchowsky's method for neuritic plaques and neurofibrillary tangles (most requested by my pathologists for degenerative brain disorders), Bodian's method for nerve endings and fibers , Holmes method for axons and nerve fibers, or Palmgren's silver impregnation method for neural fibers.  There are other histochemical stains, but these are most common on silvers on brain sections.  We have been making our own solutions for years (and years and years...).

There are some kits for staining available through vendors such as Newcomer Supply http://www.newcomersupply.com/products-standard-special-stains.php, or American Master Tech http://www.americanmastertech.com/store/main.aspx?p=ItemDetailStyles&item=KTBIE, and if you know the individual reagents you need, you can buy them from almost all vendors.

I have not used (nor have an affiliation with) Newcomer Supply and American Master Tech brain kits, but their other products have been great.

As for staining whole chunks, I have not seen or done this.  It sounds interesting.

Hope this helps,
Hugh, HTL (ASCP)
Pathology core manager
Hawaii



> From: robin_dean <@t> compbio.com
> To: histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
> Date: Mon, 25 Apr 2011 15:09:49 -0700
> Subject: [Histonet] silver stain on slide-mounted FFPE brain tissues
> 
> Hi Histonetters,
> 
>  
> 
> We want to do a  degeneration-selective silver stain on slide-mounted
> formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded monkey brain sections. It looks like most
> of the kits/protocols are for free floating tissue sections or chunks of
> tissue that are stained and then sectioned. Has anyone used this stain or a
> similar stain on  slide -mounted brain sections?  (something more like an
> IHC protocol). We need to do multiple different stains on sections from the
> same brain, so we don't want to silver stain a whole chunk of brain tissue,
> just some individual sections. I'd appreciate any suggestions or help anyone
> might have to offer.
> 
>  
> 
> Thank you,
> 
>  
> 
> Robin
> 
>  
> 
> Robin R. Dean, Ph.D.
> 
> Senior Scientist & Study Director
> 
> Comparative Biosciences, Inc.
> 
> 786 Lucerne Dr.
> 
> Sunnyvale, CA
> 
> (408) 738-8060
> 
> robin_dean <@t> compbio.com
> 
>  
> 
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