Iron Gallein Elastic Method—A Substitute for Verhoeff'S Elastic Tissue Stain

Abstract
A method for staining elastic fibers in formalin fixed, paraffin embedded sections is described. After deparaffinizing and dehydration. sections are stained for 30 minutes in a solution prepared by mixing equal parts of 1% gallein dissolved in ethylene glycol and absolute alcohol (1:4), and 1.16% aqueous ferric chloride in 1% hydrochloric acid. The sections are washed in water and then differentiated in 2% ferric chloride for 2 minutes. After washing in water, the sections am counterstained with a variant of Van Girson's picric acid-acid fuchsin for 1 minute. The results are similar to Verhoeff s elastic stain with elastic fibers staining black. An advantage to this staining procedure is that visually controlled differentiation is not necessary.
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