[Histonet] Iron Stain

[Bryan Llewellyn]

1% neutral red in 0.01% acetic acid (1 mL of 1% per 100 mL stain) works, 
as does 1% safranin. Both are stable, although should be filtered from 
time to time. Stain 1 minute, water rinse, ethanol, xylene and mount 
should work. I had one pathologist who preferred a very light 
progressive H&E. She said she was interested in increased amounts of 
iron and normal amounts not being glaringly obvious didn't bother her.

Bryan Llewellyn


Bob Richmond via Histonet wrote:
> Tasha Campbell, B.S.,HTL(ASCP), at Frederick Gastroenterology Associates in
> Frederick, Maryland asks:
>
>>> Is nuclear fast red the only counter stain for the Prussian blue stain? I
> have a Masson's trichrome kit and was wondering if [Biebrich] scarlet could
> be [used as] a counterstain. I won't be doing the iron stain very often at
> all so I am trying to keep dry reagents on hand to make up as needed so
> they do not expire so quickly.<<
>
> This old pathologist never found Biebrich scarlet or the various fuchsins
> to be satisfactory substitutes for nuclear fast red - they're too dense,
> and they don't stain nuclei specifically.
>
> Nuclear fast red (Kernechtrot, C.I. 60760) is a dye with problems - poor
> shelf life both dry and in solution, and it will probably go out of
> manufacture eventually. It's used as an aluminum lake for staining nuclei.
>
> I'm not sure what would serve as an alternative. I'd like to know more
> about brazilin (particularly about Anatech's Brazilliant), a catechol dye
> similar to hematoxylin, with good specificity for nuclei.
>
> Bob Richmond
> Samurai Pathologist
> Maryville TN
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