A hematoxylin and eosin-like stain for glycol methacrylate embedded tissue sections

A staining procedure is described for use with glycol methacrylate embedded tissue sections which does not stain the plastic embedment or remove the sections from the glass slides. The basic dye is celestine blue B. It is prepared by treating 1 g of the dye with 0.5 ml concentrated sulfuric acid. It is then dissolved with the following solution. Add 14 ml glycerine to 100 ml 2.5% ferric ammonium sulfate and warm the solution to 50 C. Finally adjust the pH to 0.8 to 0.9 The acid staining solution consists of 0.075% ponceau de xylidine and 0.025% acid fuchsin in 10% acetic acid. Slides containing the dried plastic sections are immersed in the celestine blue solution for five minutes and in the ponceau-fuchsin solution for ten minutes with an intervening water rinse. After a final wash, the sections are air dried and coverslipped. This staining procedure colors the tissues nearly the same as hematoxylin and eosin procedures.