Special stains are essential tools in histological analysis, allowing researchers to visualize specific chemical substances, cellular components, or structures that routine stains like hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) cannot highlight. At Tufts CMS, we offer a comprehensive range of special stains tailored to meet the unique needs of your research. Whether you’re identifying collagen, elastic fibers, microorganisms, or other key features, our lab provides high-quality staining services to support detailed tissue examination.
Our regularly performed stains are listed in the table below, but if your project requires a stain not included here, we’re happy to develop a customized solution. Our team, led by histology expert Lauren Richey, is available to assist with selecting the most appropriate special stains for your study. With precision staining and expert consultation, we’re dedicated to delivering the insights you need for your research success.
| Stain | Notes |
| Alcian Blue | Stains sulfated and carboxylated acid mucopolysaccharides and glycoproteins blue. |
| Giemsa | Can be used to distinguish different parasites and fungi in blood. Helps to differentiate basophils, eosinophils, neutrophils very easily. |
| Gomori Methenamine-Silver (GMS) | Identifies fungal organisms by outlining cell walls black. |
| Gram Stain (Lillie Twort) | Identifies Gram negative and Gram-positive bacteria. |
| Masson Trichrome Stain | Specify aniline blue or light green background for this stain. |
| Nissl Substance (Cresyl Echt Violet) | Identifies neurons and demonstrates loss of Nissl substance during injury. Nissl substance stains blue/purple. |
| Oil Red O | Must be done on frozen section. However, the tissue may be fixed in 10% NBF for a short time. Do not fix using alcohols, as this removes the neutral fats from the tissue. |
| PAS | Stains basement membranes, glycogen, fungal walls, certain mucins, pars intermedia of pituitary, colloid of thyroid. If used to demonstrate thickness of glomerular basement membranes, request a 2-micron thin section of kidneys for this stain. |
| PAS with and without diastase | Used to demonstrate glycogen. If glycogen is present, it will stain bright pink in tissues stained with PAS without diastase and will be absent from the same tissue in slides stained with PAS and diastase. Diastase digests glycogen from the sections. |
| Perl's Iron | Detects the presence of iron in biopsy specimens. |
| Picrosirius Red | Stains collagen red on a pale background. Under polarization, larger collagen fibers are bright yellow/orange and thinner ones are green. |
| Reticulin | |
| Verhoeff-van Gieson | Stains elastic fibers. Used primarily in arteries to show fine elastic fibers and elastic laminae. |
| Von Kossa | Identifies the presence of calcium. |