DermNet provides Google Translate, a free machine translation service. Note that this may not provide an exact translation in all languages
Home » Topics A–Z » Histology stains
Author: Brian Wu PhD. MD Candidate, Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, USA; Chief Editor: Dr Amanda Oakley, Dermatologist, Hamilton, New Zealand, July 2015.
Histology and histopathology of biopsy samples are important in the diagnosis of skin conditions. They are frequently used in the detection and diagnosis of skin cancer.
Histology stains are used to colour different structures within the cells.
Before staining a slide, the tissue has to be prepared and mounted onto a glass slide.
The paraffin technique is the most common way to prepare a histological slide, and follows the following steps:
Other common histological techniques include:
Some of the most common types of stains.
This is the most frequently used combination for general staining of skin samples and is especially useful in the diagnosis and classification of cancer.
Mucin stains are best for the detection and dying of mucopolysaccharides. Examples of mucin stains include:
Melanin stains, as the name implies, are used for dyeing melanin and are commonly used in the diagnosis of melanoma. One typical example of a melanin stain is the Fontana-Masson.
Trichrome stains use a combination of three different dyes to achieve their effect. These are used explicitly to dye lipids. Common trichrome stains include:
The table below gives examples of different histological stains.
The advantages of histology and histological staining are:
The disadvantages of histology and histological staining include:
See smartphone apps to check your skin.
[Sponsored content]
© 2021 DermNet New Zealand Trust.
DermNet NZ does not provide an online consultation service. If you have any concerns with your skin or its treatment, see a dermatologist for advice.