Special stains (histochemical methods) are used to help visualize and/or identify structures and substances in sections. CPL can provide most standard special stains. Listed below are a few examples.
Acid fast stains (various methods) for mycobacteria [Mycobacterium avium, lung, mouse]
Congo red for amyloid [Islet amyloid, macaque (polaroscopy)]
Gram stains (various methods) for bacteria [Corynebacterium bovis, skin, nude mouse]
Grocott’s methenamine silver (GMS) for fungi [Pneumocystis carinii, lung, Rag2-/- mouse]
Jones methenamine silver for basement membrane and mesangium [Glomerulonephritis, mouse]
Luxol fast blue-PAS for demyelination [Demyelinating myelitis, mouse]
Masson’s trichrome for collagen & muscle [Renal arteritis, mouse]
Periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) [Hypersensitivity bronchitis, mouse (PAS-hematoxylin)]
Phosphotungstic acid-hematoxylin (PTAH) for fibrin [Glomerular thrombosis, mouse]
Prussian blue for ferric iron [Hemosiderin, spleen, mouse]
Sudan black for lipids & lipochrome pigments [Lipochrome pigment, heart, ruffed lemur]>
Verhoeff's method for elastin [Renal arteritis, mouse]
Warthin-Starry method for bacteria [Helicobacter hepaticus, liver, mouse]