Course Outline
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- Introduction
- Clinical Significance and Correlation of Histology
- How is Histology Useful to the Pathologist?
- Application of the Hematoxylin and Eosin Stain
- Why is the H&E Stain the Most Common?
- Which of the following statements about histology is false?
- Categories of Biological Stains
- Three Broad Categories of Biological Stains
- Which one of the following categories of stains is used to differentiate between a cell's nucleus and cytoplasm?
- Which category of stain would you employ if asked to demonstrate muscle in a tissue sample?
- Classification of Biological Stains
- Classification of Biological Stains
- An acidic dye has a pH less than 7 and has an affinity for __________ tissue components.
- Origin of Dyes: Natural
- Origin of Dyes: Synthetic
- Examples of Synthetic Dyes
- True or False: The first natural dyes were made from aniline and are, therefore, sometimes referred to as aniline dyes.
- Identify the following dyes as either synthetic or natural in origin.
- Chemistry of Dyes
- Mechanisms of Action
- What is the staining mechanism that overstains tissue and then employs a differentiation step?
- Progressive or Regressive Hematoxylin Staining
- Which type of staining employs the process of differentiation to delineate desired tissue elements?
- True or False: The type of chromophore present on a dye molecule determines its color.
- Routine Staining in the Histology Laboratory
- Hematoxylin Oxidation
- Mordants
- Commonly Used Hematoxylins: Their Oxidizers and Mordants
- Differentiating
- The Bluing Step
- Eosin as a Counterstain
- Types of Eosin
- Eosin Differentiation
- Match the following solutions with their appropriate use.
- True or False: One advantage of alcohol-based eosins over aqueous eosins is that they will stain slower and produce a broader range of shades.
- Eosin stains the cytoplasm of cells as well as other tissue constituents. Which of the following would not be stained with eosin?
- Applications of the H&E Stain
- Additional Steps Employed in Routine H&E Staining
- Paraffin Sections
- Paraffin Sections, continued
- Table 4: Staining Time Comparisons
- General H&E Staining Procedures
- When performing regressive H&E staining, slides need to be deparaffinized and _____________ before they will be able to take up the aqueous-based ...
- Some Common Problems Encountered in H&E Staining
- Nuclear Staining Errors
- Poor Eosin Differentiation
- Poor Contrast Between the Hematoxylin and the Eosin
- Reddish-Brown Nuclei
- Dark Precipitate on the Slide
- Uneven Staining
- White Patches on Slides After Deparaffinization Step
- Clear Patches on Tissue After Hydrating
- Contaminated Clearing Agent
- Which of the following observations would indicate that tissue sections have not been sufficiently deparaffinized?
- What is not a function of the hydration alcohols?
- What is the indication that the tissue did not go through the bluing step?
- References
Additional Information
Level of Instruction: Intermediate
Intended Audience: Clinical laboratory histotechnologists and technicians, and other medical laboratory personnel who have an interest in this subject matter. This course is also appropriate for histology and medical laboratory science students, pathology residents, and practicing pathologists.
Author Information: Anita Buchiane, HT(ASCP) QHIC, is the Lead Histology Technician at Brattleboro Memorial Hospital in Brattleboro, Vermont. Prior to this position, she worked as a Neuropathology/Special Procedures Technician at Baystate Medical Center in Springfield, Massachusetts. Ms. Buchiane is a graduate of Hartford Hospital School of Allied Health in Connecticut, where she earned her Certificate in Histotechnology, and Greenfield Community College, Greenfield, Massachusetts, where she earned an associate's degree in Liberal Arts with a math and science concentration. She is a member of the National Society for Histotechnology and the VT/NH Society for Histotechnology. She was the recipient of the 2007 Lee G. Luna Foreign Travel Scholarship awarded by the National Society for Histotechnology and the 2010 Region 1 Scholarship awarded by the VT/NH Society for Histotechnology.
Reviewer Information: Carla J. Shoffeitt, MSM, HT(ASCP), is the System Director of Anatomic Pathology for Emory Healthcare in Atlanta, Georgia. She holds a Master of Science Degree in Healthcare Management as well as a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from Troy University, Troy, Alabama. She is certified as a Histotechnician and has 29 years of experience in the field of Histology.
Course Description: This course will explore the history and application of hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) stains used in the clinical histology laboratory. It will discuss basic H&E staining mechanisms and the classification of biological stains. The material presented details the chemistry, diagnostic application, and problem-solving strategies for H&E stains.
