[Histonet] Modified Movat's Pentachrome stain

[Bob Richmond]

Angela Lamberth at the La Jolla [California] Institute for Allergy &
Immunology asks:

>>I'm gearing up to perform a pentachrome stain. I will be making this in
house and not using a kit. Through searching histonet, I've found a
protocol used by the Children?s Hospital of Philadelphia Pathology Core.
http://pathcore.research.chop.edu/docs/MovatPentachromeStain.pdf
Two things: Iodine crystals are out of the question. Can I replace that
with Lugol's iodine solution or should I just substitute Weigert's for the
hematoxylin in this protocol?
Also, saffron vs tartrazine vs Orange G stain? There is a real difference
in price. Does anybody have a personal preference in terms of quality or
aesthetics? Is paying the extra money for saffron really worth it?<<

THE expert on the Movat pentachrome stain is Akemi Allison, a very senior
histotechnologist who's published about it. I can't remember if she's on
Histonet, but you can contact her on Facebook - I hear from her there quite
often.

I'm not personally familiar with the stain, but I don't think either of
those substitutions will work. You need to find out more about saffron
before you work with it, because it's so expensive.

Bob Richmond
Samurai Pathologist
Maryville TN