Colloidal Iron: Staining Protocol

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Colloidal Iron: Staining Protocol

Sample Type Required: Deparaffinized and re-hydrated tissue sections on positively charged slides.

Fixative:10% Neutral Buffered Formalin
StepReagentTimeTechnical Notes
1 12% Acetic Acid Solution Brief Rinse
2 Working Colloidal Iron Solution
(10mL Stock Colloidal Iron, 18mL Distilled Water and 12mL Glacial Acetic Acid)
1 Hour Stock Colloidal Iron can be purchased commercially.
3 12% Acetic Acid Solution 3 Changes x 3 Minutes Each
4 Ferrocyanide-Hydrochloric Acid Solution (25mL Potassium Ferrocyanide, 2% and 25mL Hydrochloric Acid, 2%) 20 Minutes
5 Running Tap Water
5 Minutes

6 Nuclear Fast Red Solution 5 Minutes
7 Running Tap Water 1 Minute Clouding will result when slides are placed in the alcohols if slides are not washed well after Nuclear Fast Red staining.

Expected Results
  • Acid Mucins and Sialomucins = Deep Blue
  • Nuclei = Pink to Red
  • Cytoplasm = Pink
Post Staining Procedure:
• Tissue sections must be counterstained to fully recognize the presence of positive staining. This can be achieved with the use of nuclear fast red, which provides a pink background.
• After counterstain, tissue sections should be rinsed well in distilled water, dehydrated with 95% alcohol, followed by 100% alcohols, cleared with xylene (or xylene substitute), and cover-slipped.

Colloidal iron stain